The Prison Post

The Prison Post Podcast #49 Lauren Kessler, Award Winning Author of "Free"

CROP Organization — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 02:00:00 -0700

95 percent of the millions of American men and women who go to prison eventually get out. What happens to them? On this week's episode of The Prison Post Podcast, we have a conversation with immersion journalist, Lauren Kessler. She has taken a deep dive into looking at the Challenges of Life After Prison. Her book: 'Free' Two years, Six Lives and The Long Journey Home" is powerful, moving, emotional, and revealing. Lauren is both clear-eyed and compassionate, as she follows six people whose diverse stories paint an intimate portrait of struggle, persistence, and resilience.What is the road they must travel from caged to free? How do they navigate their way home?

Lauren Kessler is an award-winning author of ten works of nonfiction, all of which combine lively narrative with deep research and in-the-trenches immersion to explore hidden worlds. The creator of two graduate programs in creative nonfiction, she founded a writers’ group for those sentenced to life in prison at a maximum security prison.

There's Arnoldo, who came of age inside a maximum security penitentiary, now free after nineteen years. Trevor and Catherine, who spent half of their young lives behind bars for terrible crimes committed when they were kids. Dave, inside the walls for 34 years, now about to reenter an unrecognizable world. Vicki, a five-time loser who had cycled in and out of prison for more than a third of her life. They are simultaneously joyful and overwhelmed at the prospect of freedom. Anxious, confused, sometimes terrified, and often ill-prepared to face the challenges of the free world, all are intent on reclaiming and remaking their lives.

"FREE" is a gripping and empathetic work of immersion reportage, "FREE" reveals what awaits them and the hundreds of thousands of others who are released from prison every year: the first rush of freedom followed quickly by institutionalized obstacles and logistical roadblocks, grinding bureaucracies, lack of resources, societal stigmas and damning self-perceptions, the sometimes overwhelming psychological challenges.

Here's some of the reentry topics we discuss:

• The common challenges those recently released encounter in the first month that very few people truly understand?

• What being imprisoned means to your sense of self and how to reclaim that?

• What being surveilled, regulated, and managed does to your abilities to trust yourself and others?

• How you learn to function and reconnect, like understanding the latest technology?

• The rocky road of learning how to make so many decisions, big and small, every day?

• The staggering racial inequality behind bars (1 in 6 Latino boys and 1 out of every 3 Black kids will go to prison in their lifetime) and the overall “epidemic of mass incarceration” in the U.S., which accounts for 25% of the world’s prison population?

• What communities can do to help those returning from incarcerated life become a functioning part of that community

To purchase a copy of Lauren's book on Amazon visit this link: https://www.amazon.com/Free-Years-Liv...

Click this link to visit her website titled, "The Lauren Chronicles" and check out Lauren's other books at http://www.laurenchronicles.com/activ...

The Prison Post #48 Thanh Tran, Senior Policy & Comms Fellow with The Ella Baker Center.

CROP Organization — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Thanh Tran called me from the phones of San Quentin Prison 9 months ago. In my 21 years of incarceration, I have never met a more policy-minded incarcerated person. I was impressed by his perspectives, his language, and the freedom he held on the inside, not to mention his brilliant accomplishments all before the age of 28!

Episode 48 features Thanh Tran, a formerly incarcerated Filmmaker, Podcaster, and Organizer. He is the Co-Creator and Co-host of the Uncuffed Podcast. He is also Co-Creator of the incarcerated film crew Forward This Productions. He was released from prison almost 3 months ago and is now the Senior Policy and Comms Fellow with the Ella Baker Center.

Thanh was incarcerated at the age of 18. He was sentenced to 17 years. He was commuted by Governor Newsom after serving over 10 years. He survived the horrific conditions of Covid 19 in San Quentin. He had Covid three times and had to scream for medical attention through his door before a nurse finally showed some humanity and got him desperately needed medicine that helped him when he was at his worst. He rang the bell for the fellas on the inside and shared the story of how correctional officers refused to serve the incarcerated food because of their fear of contracting Covid. He shared how he heard the shrieks of men who were dying of Covid in their cells without receiving help for a month. He shared how he saw the dead bodies of those who succumbed to Covid, due to the lack of medical attention at the prison. This is the real trauma that is hidden from the public eye everyday.

We also covered how he transformed his life on the inside to become the podcaster, film producer, organizer, and policy minded man that he is today. Than shares the challenges of reentering society and how he's courageously facing them. I have full confidence that Thanh will lead from the front for prison reform for years to come. Thank you for watching this episode.

Please hit the like button, subscribe, and leave a comment or ask us or Thanh a question in the comments. We respond to everyone!

You can find Thanh Tran on Twitter at @RailroadedUnderground

Learn more about how CROP Organization is reimagining reentry by investing in people over punishment on our website at: https://croporganization.org/

Apply to be in our Ready 4 Life Reentry Programs in Oakland and LA here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdE8zUyZCy2MzL--mnBjYwKgSdr8wZPZvYB5_WlgjnZurfKNA/viewform

Learn more and reach out to The Ella Baker Center at https://ellabakercenter.org/ Ella Baker was a brilliant, black hero of the civil rights movement. Following in her footsteps, Ella Baker Center organizes with black, brown, and low-income people to shift resources away from prisons and punishment, and towards opportunities that make our communities safe, healthy, and strong.

The Prison Post #47 Donald Wiggins Jr., Ohio Families Unite for Political Action and Change

CROP Organization — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 02:00:00 -0700

We’re super excited to have our first guest from New York now residing in Ohio on our show today. Donald Wiggins Jr. holds a JD, MPA and is the Co-Founder & Director of Strategic Initiatives & Policy at Ohio Families Unite for Political Action and Change (OFUPAC). He’s a writer, a researcher, reformer, futurist, and abolitionist, but when I asked him to describe himself, he said, “It’s not about me. It’s about we! I’m just doing my part in the grand cog of history!"

In this episode we discuss Donald and OFUPAC's vision to make fundamental shifts in America by creating national legislation that would allow the incarcerated and those who are 16 and older to vote. We have a deep conversation about universal suffrage and restructuring society by caring about our future we could have 20-30 years from now and what it would take to make that happen.

OFUPAC builds and harnesses the political power of impacted families across Ohio, providing them with a space to leverage their power and drive policy to enact lasting change. Their mission is to end state violence against communities in Ohio by uplifting and amplifying the voices of impacted families to transform the criminal and civil justice landscape in Ohio.

They do this by engaging in effective public advocacy, legislative outreach, and public education activities. They center the voices of those most impacted by systemic racism, oppression, police violence, and systemic violence in the criminal and civil justice systems. Our vision is for us all to live in a space where one's income, race, public school, neighborhood, air quality, orientation, spirituality, and very identity do not determine your treatment, your life, and your livelihood by the criminal and civil justice systems in Ohio. OFUPAC holds space, organizes, and mobilizes those directly impacted by police brutality, the carceral system, and the juvenile justice system, to respond to immediate and emergent threats to our lives and our humanity.

Learn more about Ohio Families United for Political Action and Change here: https://www.ofupac.org/

Follow Donald on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/DWigginsJ3

Join their universal suffrage campaign by signing up at https://www.votingishuman.us/

The Prison Post #46 Tommy DeLuna, LWOP Sentence, Now Free!

CROP Organization — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post Podcast! Our guest this week is Tommy DeLuna who was sentenced to Life Without The Possibility of Parole (LWOP). Tommy was charged at the age of 17 for a murder robbery, convicted at 18 and sentenced at 19 to LWOP. Being sentenced to LWOP is essentially giving someone a slow death sentence. He served 25 years and has been out for a little over 2 years, holds two jobs, co-owns a business, and attends Sacramento State University. He's a busy man to say the least and I was honored to have my friend on The Prison Post Podcast.

Tommy shares his story, accountability, remorse, and responsibility. Tommy is very remorseful and takes responsibility for the life he took, and although he never had an intention to murder, the results equated to an LWOP sentence. Society expects us to be honest about what we did and what we caused while going through the court system, but why would anyone want to be honest when the results that come from honesty result in sentences like LWOP.

We had a detailed conversation about what it was like for him to be incarcerated for over two decades with LWOP. He shares his current values and beliefs about LWOP and the death penalty. He shares what he believes about the punishment model California's prison system utilizes and what's happening around related LWOP laws today.

If you have a loved one with LWOP, you don't want to miss this episode.

It’s tough to maintain hope with LWOP, but he maintained hope behind prison walls and razor wire. He generously shared how he came to be free and he had shared special messages for family and loved ones of the incarcerated sentenced to LWOP.

Please subscribe, like, and leave us a comment. Please consider donating to our work at CROP Organization so we can continue to provide shows like this and reimagine reentry by investing in people over punishment. Donate here: https://croporganization.org/

#DROPLWOP

The Prison Post #45 Jarad Nava, Sentenced to 162 Years to Life as a Teenager

CROP Organization — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Jarad was sentenced to 162 years to Life after facing 204 years to Life in the California Prison System. He was in the High Security Compound in Sylmar Juvenile Hall facing this amount of time as a 17 year old teenager. In California, juveniles who commit violent crimes can be tried as adults, while awaiting trial they are kept apart from other minors. Many of them won't come home, but Jarad did. As a 17 year old he was featured in the documentary, "They Call Us Monsters." Many people love to label minors who commit violent crimes as "monsters" but they don't know their whole story. Jarad would be the first to take responsibility for what he did and the harm he caused. He didn't make excuses for his behavior and went to prison and committed his life to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and immersed himself in his faith and his education. Nearly 8 1/2 years later his sentence was commuted by Governor Brown. After being found suitable for parole by the Board of Prison Hearings Commissioners, he walked out of prison after 9 years.

I heard of his story from a mutual friend and he wanted me to meet Jarad. I had to meet him. I had never heard of anyone with such a long sentence being released before serving a decade. I had to see him with my own eyes, congratulate him and hear his story. He's been out of prison for one year now and he's one of the kindest and most humble young men that I have ever met. I invited him on The Prison Post Podcast to share his story. He keeps a strong support team around him and his friend, David Rey, joined us at the studio. Impromptu, I asked David if he'd be willing to join us in a conversation. David Rey was also sentenced to life as a juvenile and has thrived in every way in his 8 years of freedom.

Many would like you to believe that transformation isn't possible for juveniles or young men who make the worst decision of their lives and end up in the carceral system. Legislators quoted on "They Call Us Monsters" said this about juveniles like Jarad, "There are no violent offenses for a juvenile. You commit crime, you're an adult." "If you commit an adult crime, you do adult time." "The age of the assailant is of no consequence." "These are evil menacing people, mini Charlie Mansons, this is absolutely outrageous that we're going to release these little psychopaths to the streets to yet murder again." These statements are meant to put fear into the public and perpetuate long sentences for juveniles, even when the evidence shows that transformation is possible.

I am so thankful that Governor Brown and Jarad's employer didn't feel that way about him. Today Jarad is a Committee Assistant for Senator Steven Bradford, Chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee. He's not only employed at the State Capitol, but also attends Sacramento State University and is majoring in criminal justice. His goal is to become a lawyer in the next several years. He loves God, attends church and shares his story to inspire others going down the path he did to change direction. His church has loved and embraced him. Jarad is a shining example of what transformation looks like and what's possible when we give a young man an opportunity to be someone new. It was an honor to have Jarad on The Prison Post Podcast and since we live in the same town, I hope to hang out with Jarod and be a part of one another's support system.

To watch "The Call Us Monsters" on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/un8Uwg6SWG0https://y...

Also on Amazon Prime here: https://watch.amazon.com/detail?gti=a...

The Prison Post #44 Terah Lawyer-Harper, Executive Director, CROP Organization featuring Ken Oliver

CROP Organization — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Super excited for today’s show with Terah Lawyer-Harper and Ken Oliver. Two leaders who have tremendous stories of incarceration, transformation, resilience, social impact, and entrepreneurial leadership. They are the workforce development gurus and and are transforming the landscape of reentry. The results are transformed lives and healing communities. Ken was CROP's former Executive Director and passes the torch of leadership to Terah on the show with profound respect and trust.

Terah Lawyer-Harper is CROP Organization’s new Executive Director. She was previously an Associate Director at Impact Justice. At Impact Justice, Terah developed and led the organization’s groundbreaking Homecoming Project, a $3.5M housing innovation project that paired people returning home after long prison sentences with welcoming community hosts. She received national and state recognition for her innovation and impact in the Bay Area. Lawyer-Harper is a Young Professional of Color Fellow with the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, an alumnus Next Generations Fellow with the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, and a former elected chairperson for the Beyond Incarceration Program inside CDCR’s Central California Women’s Facility. She spent 15 years incarcerated during which she became a certified peer health educator, a drug and alcohol counselor, earned two bachelor’s degrees and started a national nonprofit to provide correspondence courses to people incarcerated in prisons.

I’ve gotten to know Terah over the last three months and I can tell our audience that our team is excited to have her as our new Executive Director: She’s passionate, ambitious, innovative, solution-orientated, forward thinking, and a social connector/networker. She’s warm, attentive, and approachable. She has a strong moral compass and is courageous. She’s professional, articulate, and a born leader. She takes pride in her efforts with great energy and focus. Our team loves her inclusive leadership style. She’s driven by her purpose and all the while she still finds time to invest in the most important aspects of her life: her family, her friends, and her community.

Terah is active in the leadership of numerous civic and community organizations. She is spokeswoman for the Drop the Life Without the Possibility of Parole campaign and a member of California’s Prison Focus Board of Directors. She is featured in A New Way of Life testimonial series and actively volunteers with local organizations, including Fair Housing Initiative, California Coalition for Women Prisoners, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, All of us or None, Prison Focus, Project Homeless Connect, and Restorative Justice Reentry Conference.

Originally from the Bay Area, Lawyer-Harper holds three undergraduate degrees in business administration, management and social and behavioral science. Terah Lawyer-Harper will be based at CROP’s headquarters in Oakland, CA.

We just dropped a Press Release that share more of her story. Learn more about Terah on the front page of CROP Organization's website: https://croporganization.org/

Ken is the former Director of Business Development and former Executive Director at CROP Organization. Today, he is the Executive Director of the Checkr Foundation and Co-Chairman of CROP’s Board. Ken was incarcerated for over 25 years including spending over 8 years in solitary confinement. Today, he is a proximate leader in criminal justice reform, reentry architecture, workforce development, and inclusive impact strategy. He’s passionate about leveling the playing field to maximize potential and possibility for justice involved people. Ken is solution driven and adamant about kicking in doors of access to tech and desegregating opportunity, the future of work, and economic mobility for marginalized communities. As a servant/leader, he approaches this work with an insistence on human-centered solutions and embraces our communities' most pressing challenges. Ken was also the host The Prison Post’s Policy hour. Learn more about Ken and the work he's doing at Checkr at https://checkr.com/

The Prison Post #43 Amanda Carrasco, Victim of Crime/Restorative Justice Advocate

CROP Organization — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post. My always brilliant co-host, Jason Bryant, rejoins me for a power packed restorative justice conversation with Amanda Carrasco. This is our first episode with someone who shares about Restorative Justice from the perspective of the victim/survivor. She shares how she's been impacted by horrific acts of violence including the murder of her family and how in spite of the very real trauma, she is still a very strong proponent of Restorative and Transformative Justice.

Amanda Carrasco has a passion for believing in people who face challenging circumstances and equipping them to meet their goals, which comes from her own lives experience with multiple traumas. She is an advocate for human rights through restorative justice and government policy change. She is a volunteer for CROP and a political advocate locally and abroad which included serving as Honorary Vice -Consul for the republic of Kenya. She holds three master’s degrees in leadership, public policy and law. She owns a company that works with students from around the world and builds community while enhancing their education. She teaches Politics and Government for a University in Vancouver BC but even more than all those accomplishments, her greatest title she has ever held has been, “mom.”

She doesn't just talk about restorative justice, she lives it. She flew all the way out to California to spend several days with us and even visited our homes. She is a volunteer at CROP Organization and looks to move to California in the near future. She generously shares her story and we discuss topics like: Does punishment make societies safer? How the justice system has removed the victim from the restorative justice process? The two sides of restorative justice namely, the restoration of the person(s) harmed and the restoration of the person who caused the harm. This leads into an exploration of how restorative justice also centers on the victim and how acknowledging that can facilitate at minimum a greater understanding of the crime and likely more healing for both parties.

Please subscribe to our podcast and follow us here on our linktree: https://linktr.ee/CROPOrganization

Our Linktree will take you to all the places you can find us on social media for fresh insights into who we are and what we're doing to reimagine reentry at CROP Organization.

Please donate to us at https://www.croporganization.org/ or text CROP at 91999 and donate to our work of transforming lives and healing communities.

The Prison Post #42 Fritzi Horstman, Compassion Prison Project, Founder and Executive Director

CROP Organization — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post. My co-host Jason Bryant was on assignment, so I brought in my dear friend, James Willock as my co-host for this special episode. James was incarcerated from the age of 19 to the age of 47 in California's prison system and has now been free for a little over one year.

We are excited to be back and to drop Episode 42 with one of the greatest human beings on this planet, Fritzi Horstman. Fritzi Horstman is the Founder and Executive Director of the Compassion Prison Project (CPP) an organization dedicated to creating trauma-informed prisons and communities and bringing creative inspiration to all men and women living and working in prisons.

With 95% of the incarcerated men and women eventually returning home, Fritzi believes it is imperative that we address the chronic mental health issues in prison with common sense, compassion and urgency. In 2020, Fritzi directed “Step Inside the Circle” at California State Prison – Los Angeles County with 235 incarcerated men. The video has reached nearly 3 million views worldwide and has attracted over 900 volunteers to CPP. Fritzi and the team at CPP are in production, creating a 12-part series entitled “Trauma Talks” to be distributed to prisons in the US and abroad which launched in September 2021.

Fritzi produced HBO’s “The Defiant Ones” directed by Allen Hughes which has garnered several awards including a Grammy for Best Music Film. Her first feature, “Take A Number,” which she wrote, produced, and directed, debuted at the Slamdance festival and premiered on HBO. Fritzi studied at New York University’s summer film program and received a Bachelor of Arts in Film and English from Vassar College.

CPP's mission is to transform prisons and communities through compassionate action. Their main focus is on childhood trauma and how it affects the lives of men and women living and working in prisons. In our research, using the CDC/Kaiser Permanente ACEs study (Adverse Childhood Experiences), we have seen that ACE's are disproportionately high within the prison system. At CPP, they are focused on bringing childhood trauma awareness, education and healing to prisons and communities both in the U.S. and globally.

Fritzi reached reached out to me and asked if I and members of our team at CROP Organization would be willing to go back into the prison with her for a couple of days to participate in her "Step Inside the Circle" work with the incarcerated and her trauma conversations with officers. We were set to get on a call and she asked me to watch one of her award winning videos first. I watched and called her in tears 7 minutes later which led to over a 2 hour zoom about the addressing trauma and healing in my incarcerated brothers and sisters and within myself. She exudes empathy and compassion as a natural expression of who she is and she's one of those rare people you meet and know your life would never be the same afterwards.

Enjoy the show and please hit the red subscribe and like button so we can continue bringing you this inspirational and informative content. I'll include links to two of her other videos and where you can donate to her organization below.

Step Inside the Circle: https://youtu.be/FVxjuTkWQiE

Honor Yard: https://youtu.be/Xo_RUSuk4s8

Donate to Compassion Prison Project here: https://compassionprisonproject.org/

Please subscribe to our podcast and follow us here on our linktree: https://linktr.ee/CROPOrganization

Our Linktree will take you to all the places you can find us on social media for fresh insights into who we are and what we're doing to reimagine reentry at CROP Organization.

Please donate to us at https://www.croporganization.org/ or text CROP at 91999 and donate to our work of transforming lives and healing communities.

You can take the Adverse Childhood Experiences Test and learn more about how childhood trauma may have affected you: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/02/387007941/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean

The Prison Post Podcast #41 James Willock, Men Built for Others, Episode 3

CROP Organization — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 02:00:00 -0700

James Willock was raised in Sacramento, California. He was sentenced to 34 years to life at the age of 19. He was in prison for 28 years of that sentence, he went to the California Board of Parole Hearings in March of 2020.

His powerful transformational story is featured in CROP Organization's book, "Men Built for Others." He was first on The Prison Post Podcast a couple of months after he was released from prison. He came back on the show a year and shared what he's doing today 13 months after he was originally on the show and to participate in the Men Built for Others Series.

He gives back to his community, to the people around him, and to the people who are in the same situations that he was in that lead him to a life of crime and being sentenced to life in prison. Our interview with James reveals his perspectives of freedom, possibility, service, and what it is like to come home after 29 years of incarceration.

#CROPOrganization #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLives #ReimaginingReentry #ThePrisonPostPodcast #ProximateLeadership #Richard Mireles #JamesWillock

Visit our Linktree here: https://linktr.ee/CROPOrganization

Donate to CROP's work here: https://igfn.us/e/IDV7vQ

Order Men Built for Others here: https://www.amazon.com/Men-Built-Others-Lessons-Sentences/dp/1641840196/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QX50NI2F0GTO&keywords=men+built+for+others&qid=1637118894&qsid=133-8766197-3747155&sprefix=Men+Built+%2Caps%2C430&sr=8-1&sres=1641840196%2C0988877953%2CB07VXVX2N7%2CB072FH1QVS%2CB08DMKRZ3J%2CB0773DVXFH%2CB005ABQFS0%2CB086W2L7LZ%2CB07TXL7T1D%2CB016Q1CXI8%2CB001NZAXJO%2CB07WH2QFMF%2CB07KQ1HNQP%2CB075JW9CYN%2CB082XT2G8S%2CB01BKXXTXU

The Prison Post Podcast #40 Robert Esquivel, Men Built for Others, Episode 1

CROP Organization — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 02:00:00 -0700

CROP Organization published a book titled, "Men Built for Others, Life Lessons from Those Serving Life Sentences."

One of the stories featured in "Men Built for Others" was written by Robert Esquivel. Robert was sentenced to 48 years to life at the age of 17. Today, he is a free man and has been since November of 2019. He graduated from CROP's Alcohol and Drug Counseling Program on the inside and was one of a handful of men who could be found facilitating, coaching, and supporting his incarcerated brothers within our rehabilitative community almost every night of the week. He made it his mission to support men with their personal transformation as they pursued their unprecedented futures. Because of his commitment to paying it forward, we asked Robert to share his story. Then and now, Robert lives his life as a Man Built for Others. Robert is working as Substance Use Disorder Counselor in the Los Angeles Area.

Men Built for Others, is an emotionally sobering, eye-opening, and powerfully engaging compilation of the harrowing journeys one can take when we fail to value ourselves and others. Men Built for Others is uncensored, vulnerably raw, and insightful. Men Built for Others, was written to atone for our egregious wrongdoings and prove that hope can flourish anywhere. Men Built for Others, can transform lives and open the minds of the hardest of hearts. If you're dealing with adversity, destructive habits, or perhaps desperately trying to help an incarcerated loved one; this is a powerful book showing how one can transform life's worst setbacks into miraculous comebacks and be happy regardless of where they are.

The eleven true stories are edited and compiled by Ted Gray, Richard Mireles, Jason Bryant, and Matthew Braden while they were serving life sentences in the Soledad State Prison in Soledad, California. They learned that they had the capacity to transform the culture of prison and impact our their world significantly. Today, they are Directors of the CROP Organization. CROP Organization is directed by their proximate leadership and over 110 years of experience within the criminal justice system. Creating Restorative Opportunities and Program's mission is to reimagine reentry through a holistic, human-centered approach to advocacy, housing, and the future of work. Their purpose is to transform lives and heal communities by creating integrated pathways to economic mobility, personal leadership, and civic engagement.

100% of the proceeds from our book go toward CROP's "Men and Women Built for Others Scholarship." Which paid a $33K tuition for one student to attend Palma School and he is now in college. CROP is sponsoring our second student. Please donate to our scholarship by clicking the donate button on our website at https://www.croporganization.org/ or Text CROP at 91999 to donate by text.

You can purchase Men Built for Others on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Men-Built-Others-Lessons-Sentences/dp/1641840196/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1634172265&sr=8-1

Thank you for your support. You can listen to our podcast on any of these major podcasting platforms: https://theprisonpost.captivate.fm/listen

The Prison Post #39 Roy Duran, Set Free 21 Days Ago After a Life Sentence!

CROP Organization — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0700

The Prison Post is super excited to release this episode with our dear friend, Roy Duran. He joined us 21 days after being set free from a life sentence. Roy's smile says it all! He has a profound freedom that many people many people have never experienced. He got free on the inside before earning his physical freedom! He was sentenced to 15 to Life, but earned a rare parole date at his first parole hearing (this only happens to 2% of incarcerated people sentenced to life in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation). Roy earned it because he took full and complete responsibility for what he caused, expressed deep remorse with true accountability and immersed himself in his own transformation while tirelessly serving his community on the inside. He has impacted thousands of lives with his story, optimism, love, compassion, empathy and willingness to help anyone at any time. He has one of the most profound transformational stories of anyone we've interviewed.

Roy is a dear friend of CROP Organization and our whole team celebrates his freedom! We worked side by side on the inside with Roy and before paroling he was the lead transformational coach of the program we once led. His life is a bright light and he will do amazing things for the incarcerated and those in the reentry community.

Another truly beautiful story also took place before Roy was released...Roy was a leader in the Success Stories Program on the inside and he was featured in their CNN documentary "The Feminist on Cellblock Y." The Success Stories Program is now on the outside and thriving. Our friends at Success Stories held a fundraiser and raised money so that they could hire Roy upon his release. This is a profound act of love and commitment to their friend and brother. Roy will thrive in their organization for years to come.

Follow us and subscribe to CROP Organization's and The Prison Post's socials on our Linktree here: https://linktr.ee/CROPOrganization

Learn more about CROP Organization and our current programs on our website at: https://croporganization.org/

The Feminist on Cellblock Y: https://youtu.be/JYxTzsabkH8

Learn more about the Success Stories Program at: https://www.successstoriesprogram.org/

The Prison Post #38 Cornelius Edwards, Founder of Avatar, 26 Years Incarcerated

CROP Organization — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 02:00:00 -0700

The Prison Post #38 features my great friend, Cornelius Edwards. He was incarcerated for 26 years (1987-2012). He was one of the incarcerated founders of what many people know today as "Parole Readiness Groups." This is Part 2 with Cornelius. He was a visionary and trailblazer for those sentenced to life in prison. Because of him and others that followed his lead, today thousands and thousands sentenced to life are now free. He created a premiere literacy program in the late 90's, the first lifer support group in the early 2000's and the first parole readiness group for those with life sentences in 2010. His "Avatar" program included Board of Prison Hearings (BPH) Preparation, Post Board Denial Management, Post Incarceration Syndrome, Relapse Prevention Planning, Alternatives to Family Violence and they introduced the Board Portfolio to take to the BPH. He created this at a time when the window of opportunity for parole for those sentenced to life were barely opening up. He was found suitable 6 times, but Governor Gray Davis took three of those parole dates and Governor Schwarzenegger took two of those dates. He was finally set free after his 6th time being found suitable by the parole board.

Today Cornelius is passionate about providing workplace safety instruction and certifications to men and women currently employed; and pre-certifications to single parents, students, veterans, and formerly incarcerated people seeking entry level positions in the labor and food industries; in effect providing employers with knowledgeable candidates for future employment opportunities. Throughout his previous years of experience as a trainer/speaker and program developer he learned that safety and employment are cornerstones for building responsible people, safe workplaces, better communities, and productive lifestyles. He's passionate about empowering those who need a hand up and he is committed to leaving this earth better than he found it.

Cornelius is the epitome of someone who has reentered society as a responsible and thriving citizen. He is excelling today with two careers, a happy marriage, and travels all over the world, even Paris, France..

Please watch and subscribe to The Prison Post on Apple iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and watch join over 1,800 people who watch our weekly video Podcasts on Youtube. Here is a master link to watch or listen on your favorite platform: https://theprisonpost.captivate.fm/listen

The Prison Post Podcast is a production of the CROP Organization. We exist to provide opportunities to transform lives and heal communities by creating integrated pathways to economic mobility, personal leadership, and civic engagement. Learn more about us at: https://croporganization.org/ and donate to our Signature Ready for Life Program by visiting the donation page on our website or texting CROP on 91999 or clicking this link: https://igfn.us/form/2OZxqw

The Prison Post #37 Cornelius Edwards, Founder of Avatar, Incarcerated 26 Years

CROP Organization — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 02:00:00 -0700

The Prison Post #37 features my great friend, Cornelius Edwards. He was incarcerated for 26 years (1987-2012). He was one of the founders of what many people know today as "rehabilitative programming." It was an honor to have Cornelius on our podcast and we'll be recording part two this week. He was a visionary and trailblazer for those sentenced to life and because of him and others that followed his lead, today thousands and thousands of us sentenced to life are now free. He created a premiere literacy program in the late 90's, the first lifer support group in the early 2000's and the first parole readiness group for those with life sentences in 2012. His "Avatar" program included Board of Prison Hearings (BPH) Preparation, Post Board Denial Management, Post Incarceration Syndrome, Relapse Prevention Planning, Alternatives to Family Violence and they introduced the Board Portfolio to take to the BPH. He created this at a time when the window of opportunity for parole for those sentenced to life were barely opening up. He was found suitable 6 times, but Governor Gray Davis took three of those parole dates and Governor Schwarzenegger took two of those dates. He was finally set free after his 6th suitability.

We welcomed Cornelius on The Prison Post Podcast because he is the epitome of someone who has reentered society as a responsible and thriving citizen. He is excelling today with two careers, a happy marriage, and he's done his fair share of travel all over the world.

The Prison Post #36 Dee Marie, Co-Founder of Locked In

CROP Organization — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 02:00:00 -0700

The Prison Post #36 features a friend of ours in the Criminal Justice Reform Movement. She is the Co-Founder of "Locked In" and the Host of the podcast, "Breaking Bread." Her partner is currently incarcerated in Soledad where Jason and I spent a combined 28 years of our 42 years of incarceration. She's featured several of The Prison Post's guests like Johnny Howe and Hugo Gonzalez. After she records her show she makes her guest the meal of their choice. We think this is one of the best forms of community building, intimacy, and love for our formerly incarcerated brothers and sisters. Check out DeAnne's work on her website and on her podcast. Here's a bit more about her and the work she's doing. It was a delight to have her on our show and to even talk about some of our brilliant friends.

DeAnne Knipschild is an alum of La Sierra University. She got her B.A. in Liberal Studies in 2004 and M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction in 2007. She currently works in the School of Education as an Administrative Assistant and Advisor for students getting their teaching credentials and Master's Degrees. She also is a contract teacher for the university teaching classes on how to survive college and the history of education. Outside of work she wears many hats keeping herself busy. She is a singer who has traveled all over the country and world singing gospel music with several groups. She is currently the lead singer of a Country Rock band called “Sweet Mischief”. DeAnne believes in giving back and service to the community and so she volunteers her time singing and leading praise for churches, and helps out with community events such as free health clinics, feeding the homeless, and bible studies. She is also on the Board for a non-profit organization called Black Girl Hockey Club which promotes diversity and equality in the sport of hockey and just recently started an organization and is Co-Founder of “Locked In” which centers on 3 pillars: Communication, Education and Action to make lasting change for those affected by injustice.

Visit our website at https://www.croporganization.org/

Visit out Linktree and subscribe to our Podcast, Youtube and Social Media Channels: https://linktr.ee/CROPOrganization

Here is the website link to DeAnne's website: https://lockedin.info/

Here is the Link to Locked In's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbUGwIM_cp34cLwzbSiiihQ

Here is the link to her podcast for those that just want to listen: https://anchor.fm/deanne-knipschild

The Prison Post #35, Kyara Banks, Ready for Life Associate

CROP Organization — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post Podcast! Episode 35 features a conversation with CROP Organization's youngest Ready for Life Associate, Kyara Banks aka "Kee B". Kee is a formerly incarcerated youth from Oakland, CA. She is now 22 years old and is committed to her own personal transformation. She is determined to stop people from entering the justice system and to be a part of the process of dismantling the incarceration system. She has experienced the the societal challenges of being formerly having experienced homelessness and being turned away from jobs because of her background. Her dream is to have a great career in tech that will allow her to help her family and have the ability to meet her long-term goals. Watch and listen to her story and be inspired.

CROP Organization envisions a society that invests in people over punishment. CROP's purpose is to transform lives and heal communities by creating integrated pathways to economic mobility, personal leadership, and civil engagement.

Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs signature Ready for Life program provides: Three months of Leadership Development provided by CROP, Financial Literacy provided by Beneficial State Bank, and IC3 Digital Literacy Certification training, professional workplace skills provided by Linked In Learning. CROP also provides three months of inbound and outbound sales representative career training in business to business sales in tech. We have partnered with Climb Hire, Code Tenderloin, and Checkr, Inc. to provide this training and employment opportunities upon graduation. CROP Organization provides a $1,000 monthly stipend to our Associates as they go through our six month program. We want to thank Oracle and Dell Technologies for their strong support now and in the future.

Please donate to support the training in tech for our Ready for Life Program Associates by texting CROP on 91999 or clicking this text to give link https://igfn.us/form/2OZxqw

Subscribe to The Prison Post Podcast and follow us on our social media channels at https://linktr.ee/CROPOrganization

#CROPOrganization #ThePrisonPostPodcast #ReimaginingReentry #ThePrisonPost #ReadyforLife #ReadyforLifeAssociates #LeadershipDevelopment #DigitalLiteracy #FinancialLiteracy #TransformingLivesandHealingCommunities #investinginpeopleoverpunishment

The Prison Post #34 Elgin Rose, Ready for Life Associate

CROP Organization — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome to the Prison Post! Episode 34 is here today with CROP Organization's humble and talented Ready for Life Associate, Elgin Rose. He is the fifth CROP Associate to join us to share his transformational story and reentry journey. Elgin is one of the most inspiring and authentic people we have had as part of our Signature Ready for Life Program. Watch and listen to his story!

Elgin Rose is a 29-year-old father of two beautiful girls. He’s from San Francisco and loves tasty food and gaming. His dream is to have a great career in tech, which will allow him to provide for his daughters and have the ability to travel the world someday. Elgin is hard working, super funny, a natural storyteller, and a committed father. We love his worth ethic, drive, and his numerous impersonations.

Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs' (CROP) Ready for Life Program provides: Three months of Leadership Development provided by CROP, Financial Literacy provided by Beneficial State Bank, and IC3 Digital Literacy training provided by LinkedIn Learning. CROP also provides three months of career training in Business to Business Sales in Tech. We have partnered with Code Tenderloin and Checkr, Inc. to provide this training and employment opportunities upon graduation. CROP Organization provides a $1,000 monthly stipend to our Associates as they go through our six month program. We want to thank Oracle and Dell for their strong support now and in the future.

#CROPOrganization #ThePrisonPost #ReimaginingReentry #ReadyforLife #ReadyforLifeAssociates #LeadershipDevelopment

Please consider donating to support our stipend program and subscribe to The Prison Post Podcast. Follow us on our social media channels at https://linktr.ee/CROPOrganization

The Prison Post #33 Claudine Sipili, Ready for Life Associate

CROP Organization — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Welcome to the Prison Post! Episode 33 is here today with CROP Organization's Dynamic and Passionate Ready for Life Associate, Claudine Sipili. She is the fourth CROP Associate to join us to share her transformational story and journey in reentry. Claudine is one of the most impressive people we have met and we are excited to have her as part of our Signature Ready for Life Program. You must hear her story!

Claudine Sipili is a Program Director at CityTeam Ministries where she oversees the San Jose and Oakland CityTeam Work locations. She develops and implements programs to help optimize employability and provide opportunities for clients to earn a livable wage and find stable housing. In addition to her management role, Claudine works directly with clients individually to empower them, foster their career interests, and launch them into career paths that were once out of reach. She also serves on the Santa Clara County Continuum of Care (CoC) Governance Board, the Destination: Home Board of Directors, and the Santa Clara County Lived Experience Advisory Board. Claudine was born and raised in American Samoa. Before her nonprofit career, she served in the United States Navy and the Army National Guard. Having experienced addiction, incarceration, and homelessness first-hand, she has passion for being an active part of the solution for ending homelessness in the Silicon Valley. Claudine likes to say, “I am an ordinary human serving an extraordinary God and it is from this perspective that I carry out my daily duties at City Team.

Claudine enjoys road trips to explore quaint towns where she finds the coolest, most unique, independently owned coffee shops and coffee roasters. Her number one hobby is learning about and drinking coffee. For Claudine, it is Jesus first, coffee second, and everything else falls somewhere below that.

#CROPOrganization #ThePrisonPost #ReimaginingReentry #ReadyforLife #ReadyforLifeAssociates #LeadershipDevelopment

Please consider donating to support our stipend program for our Ready for Life Associates at https://lnkd.in/gAKje-3

Please subscribe to The Prison Post Podcast and follow us on our social media channels at https://lnkd.in/gVACzhT

The Prison Post #32 KC Matthews, Ready for Life Associate

CROP Organization — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0700

We continue a series of conversations with #CROPOrganization's Ready for Life Associates. We want to welcome KC Matthews to our show today. He is a committed Associate in CROP's Virtual Training Program and we're honored to have him share his life journey and reentry experiences on The Prison Post. KC Matthews is a formerly incarcerated black trans man living in California. He is dedicated to abolishing the prison industrial complex through community building and remaining connected with those on the inside. It is important for him to bring his experience of advocacy to fight against the obstacles inflicted by the punitive criminal justice system.

KC Matthews is a Housing Navigator for TGIJP (Transgender variant intersex Justice Project) in San Francisco. He is a passionate criminal justice reform advocate. He is serious about advocating for equal opportunity rights for gender equality and housing for LGBTQ folks. He lives and works in San Francisco. His goal is to help justice involved LGBTQIA individuals struggling with housing.

In this episode, KC shares stories from his personal life growing up in the foster care system, the breakdown in that system, the choices that led to his incarceration, the challenges of being justice involved, and his experience of over two months in CROP Organization's program. He is truly a tremendous person. We encourage him to keep striving for his future worth having!

#CROPOrganization #LeadershipDevelopment #ThePrisonPost #ReimaginingReentry #ReadyforLife #ReadyforLifeAssociates

Please consider donating to support our stipend program for our

Ready for Life Associates at https://lnkd.in/gAKje-3

Please subscribe to The Prison Post Podcast and follow us on our social media channels at https://lnkd.in/gVACzhT

The Prison Post #31 Jesse Foshay, Ready for Life Associate

CROP Organization — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0700

In The Prison Post #31 we continue a series of conversations with #CROPOrganization's Ready for Life Associates. We want to welcome Jesse Lee Foshay on our podcast. He is a committed Associate in CROP's Virtual Training Program and we're honored to have him share his life journey and reentry experiences on The Prison Post.

By day Jesse, is a Housing Specialist for Abode Services in the San Francisco Bay Area. By night, he's a Ready for Life Associate from 5:30-9:30 PM PT. He’s also an aspiring artist and father of 2 beautiful boys. He lives and works in San Francisco and it’s his goal to help house as many homeless individuals and families possible. As Jesse says, "Everyone deserves a place to call home." He has a heart for the marginalized and hurting people of this world and is making an impact and equipping himself in Ready for Life to make an even bigger dent in the world of social justice.

Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs' (CROP) Ready for Life Program provides: Three months of Leadership Development provided by CROP, Financial Literacy provided by Beneficial State Bank, and IC3 Digital Literacy training provided by Linked In. CROP also provides three months of career training in Business to Business Sales in Tech. We have partnered with Code Tenderloin and Checkr to provide this training and employment opportunities upon graduation. CROP Organization provides a $1,000 monthly stipend to our Associates as they go through our six month program.

In this episode, Jesse shares stories from his personal life growing up in the foster care system, the breakdown in that system, the choices that led to his incarceration, the challenges of being justice involved, and his experience after nearly two months in CROP Organization's program. Jesse talks about his experience of the digital literacy aspect of the program where he is at the head of the class. He shares how the community we are creating has become a great support system and positive environment for him to thrive in. In short, Jesse shares the raw about his childhood in the foster care system, being in the revolving cycle in the carceral system, changing his life and juggling fatherhood, career, and building a future worth having for his sons. He is truly a tremendous person. We appreciate Jesse's efforts as he is the first person to arrive to class on a daily basis. We encourage him to keep striving for his future worth having!

#CROPOrganization #LeadershipDevelopment #ThePrisonPostPodcast #ReimaginingReentry #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLivesandHealCommunities #ReadyforLife #ReadyforLifeAssociates

Please consider donating to support our stipend program for our Ready for Life Associates at https://www.classy.org/give/298752/#!...

Please subscribe to The Prison Post Podcast and follow us on our social media channels at https://linktr.ee/CROPOrganization

SHOW LESS

The Prison Post #30 Jeff Korzenik, Author of Untapped Talent: How Second Chance Hiring Works for your Business and the Community

CROP Organization — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0700

The Prison Post Podcast is honored to have the author of "Untapped Talent," on our podcast! Jeff is a remarkable man on a transformative mission. CROP Organization's Executive Director, Ted Gray, and Director of Business Development, Ken Oliver, have an excellent conversation with him about fair chance hiring. Please watch, comment, subscribe, and order a copy of his book here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Untapped+Talent&i=digital-text&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

Jeff Korzenik is Chief Investment Strategist for one of the nation’s largest banks, where he is responsible for the investment strategy and the allocation of over $40 billion in assets. For more than 30 years, Jeff has been known in the investment management industry for the clarity and originality he brings to complex challenges. A regular guest on CNBC, Fox Business News, and Bloomberg TV, his insights into the economy, markets, manufacturing, and the workforce are frequently cited in the financial and business press.

What is "Untapped Talent: How Second Chance Hiring Works for your Business and the Community" about? This work shares the business case and best practices of “second chance hiring,” employing people with criminal records. The first and only book of its kind, “Untapped Talent” is meant to inform and inspire business leaders to broaden their hiring to this population. This is a disciplined and realistic look at this issue – not everyone with a record is ready for employment, and even those that are may require additional support. Based on the successful experience of pioneering second chance employers around the country, “Untapped Talent” identifies the challenges and opportunities in hiring people who have been marginalized from the workforce. The book covers the realities of our criminal justice system, models of hiring (both successful and unsuccessful), overcoming objections, implementation, refinement and where employers can find the resources. Within the pages of the book, readers will learn more about the business leaders who have led the way in giving people a chance. Beyond numerous lessons and anecdotes throughout the book, an entire chapter is devoted to the case study of an Ohio manufacturer, whose business and company culture were transformed by this experience.

Why this matters? The United States has 19 million people with a felony conviction, including one in three Black men. Along with the additional tens of millions burdened with misdemeanor convictions, “people with records” represent an enormous underutilized labor resource.

On a macroeconomic level, higher workforce growth drives faster growth for everyone. The United States, and virtually the whole world faces a demographic challenge ahead. Our best opportunity lies in bringing marginalized workers into employment and giving them a chance to be as productive as possible.

On a company level, using the model explained in the book, second chance employees are on average more engaged and more loyal, leading to lower turnover costs and higher productivity. Contributing to a worthy social cause in this way makes companies more attractive to investors, employees and customers alike.

On a societal level, this is the right thing to do, one of the most important ways businesses can engage in solving social problems. When people who have made a mistake and paid for that error continue to suffer the penalty of workforce barriers, we create injustice, reduced public safety, family dysfunction, and intergenerational poverty. As a country, we cannot hope to get to equality of opportunity across racial lines, until we offer people the opportunity to move beyond their worst moment. Second chance hiring is the solution. The road to a better society must be paved by the business community, and “Untapped Talent” is the map.

#UntappedTalent #JeffKorzenik #FairChanceHiring #CROPOrganization #ThePrisonPost #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLivesandHealingCommunities #ReimaginingReentry

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The Prison Post #29 Luis-Miguel Bermudez, Ready for Life Associate

CROP Organization — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 02:00:00 -0700

The Prison Post #29 begins a series of conversations with CROP Organization's Ready for Life Associates. We want to welcome the first Associate to be on our podcast, Luis-Miguel Bermudez. He will forever hold the honor of being the first Associate in CROP's Ready for Life Virtual Training Program to share his powerful story and experience on our show. We are proud to have Luis on The Prison Post and grateful that he's found tremendous value in our program.

CROP's Ready for Life Program provides: Three months of Leadership Development provided by CROP, Financial Literacy provided by Beneficial State Bank, and IC3 Digital Literacy training provided by Linked In. CROP also provides three months of career training in Business to Business Sales in Tech. We have partnered with Code Tenderloin and Checkr to provide this training and employment opportunities upon graduation. CROP Organization provides a $1,000 monthly stipend to our participants as they go through our six month program.

In this episode Luis shares stories from his personal life growing up, how the choices that led to his incarceration in San Francisco, the challenges of being justice involved, and his experience after nearly one month in Ready for Life. Luis taps into his biggest transformational experiences in the leadership development program and how the community we are creating has become a great support system and positive environment. In short, he shares his pain points and how he's working to overcome any and all barriers that hindered him in the past.

Luis shares what it's like to go through Ready for Life with proximate leaders directing the program versus what is typically given by parole, probation, and the CDCR system. Furthermore, he shares the biggest challenge of his life that led to his way of thinking and incarceration and how he's overcoming that today through his rap and vision to build a non profit that helps the youth with the challenges he experienced. Luis is gaining maximum value for his life and generously sharing his personal stories and to learn and stand alongside others in their personal growth.

At the 41st minute of this show Luis courageously raps and offers his most traumatic experiences in life and how he is going to use his trauma to help heal other people who've gone through similar experiences. Luis is a powerful example of what it means to be a Man Built for Others. This episode has quickly become one of my favorites and it's mainly because of the power, love, courage, generosity, and service that Luis is willing to bring to CROP, his community of Associates, his family, and community. We love you and appreciate you Luis. #CROPOrganization #ThePrisonPostPodcast #ReimaginingReentry #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLivesandHealCommunities #ReadyforLife #ReadyforLifeAssociates #LeadershipDevelopment

Please consider donating to support our stipend program for our Ready for Life Associates at http://croporganization.org/

Please subscribe to The Prison Post Podcast and follow us on our social media channels at https://linktr.ee/CROPOrganization

The Prison Post #28 Richard Mireles, Director Communications, CROP Organization

CROP Organization — Wed, 26 May 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Richard is the CROP Organization's Director of Communications and host of The Prison Post Podcast. In this episode his co-host and friend, Jason Bryant interviews him about his reentry as a formerly incarcerated person and about his other responsibilities at CROP Organization.

Richard is a dynamic public speaker and expert communicator with advanced leadership and communication certifications with the world-recognized Toastmasters International. He is Certified Career Coach having graduated under the tutelage of Master Coaches Christina Lee and Dr. Yvette Hall of Paradigm 360 LLC. An inspiring leader and powerful orator who delivered over 60 transformational coaching seminars and workshops, Richard possesses the uncanny ability to capture a room’s attention while conveying impactful messages to any audience.

Having spent over 20 years inside the CDCR, Richard made abundant contributions as a co-founder of the Inside Solutions think tank and lead intern for the CROP Organization’s programs offered within correctional institutions. Richard graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Management. He has an advanced certification as an Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) (CADC II) counselor who received a certificate of recognition from the California State Senate for his contributions to the recovery community. He is a graduate of Initiate Justice's "Institute of Impacted Leaders" and has spoken as a criminal justice reform advocate at the California State Capitol on four occasions with over 40 legislative visits. Richard is also the only known incarcerated person to earn the status of Associate Trainer from John Maxwell’s EQUIP Leadership and its Million Leader Mandate. After being found suitable for parole at his initial Board of Parole Hearings (BPH), Richard was released March of 2019.

Today he speaks at churches, recovery groups, and trains transformational and empowering seminars and workshops for the public and community colleges. Along with Jason Bryant, he is one of the Leadership Development coaches for CROP's Virtual Ready for Life Program.

Please watch and subscribe to The Prison Post on YouTube and feel free to ask any questions of Richard or Jason in the comments and they will respond as soon as possible.

#CROPOrganization #ThePrisonPostPodcast #ReimaginingReentry #ThePrisonPost

The Prison Post #27 Danny Contreras & Michael Salinas After 42 Years of Incarceration

CROP Organization — Wed, 12 May 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Danny Contreras and Michael Salinas served a total of 42 years of incarceration. They have transformed their lives and are making a huge difference in their communities. They are serious about using their time, talents, and lives to help others transform and heal. Danny has a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and multiple certifications in drug and alcohol counseling and human services with high honors. He holds a Substance Use Disorder Certified Counselor (SUDCC III), and is a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor through California Association of DUI Treatment Programs (CADTP). Danny works for the County of Santa Cruz's Health Services Agency as the Health Services Manager that oversees the Medication Assisted Treatment Program (MAT) for all of the counties clinics. Danny was the recipient of the 2017 County of Santa Cruz Gold award for being the key contributor to the development of protocols, procedures, forms, workflows, and implementing the Medication Assisted Treatment program at all county clinics.

Danny teaches at the local police academy to future officers on stigma, drug addiction, stereotypes, and providing trauma informed care. Danny is regularly consulted by agencies, schools, and people in the community on various issues involving at-risk youth, incarceration, reentry, gangs, addiction, implementing MAT, outreach, prevention, intervention, and homelessness. His experience and education have put him in a unique position to help people on their journey of healing. He is an advocate and a voice for those who cannot be heard and lives his life to get them the services they need. He is a recent graduate of Loyola Marymount University School of Law gang expert certification program. Follow his stories @https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYhZKQ4lgFAqeObrSlH5_fw

Michael Salinas was born and raised in Gilroy Ca. At the age of 11 his life took a turn for the worse. He began to hang out with negative associations ultimately leading to a life of substance abuse, gang involvement, and 28 years of incarceration. After being released from prison for what seemed like 100th time. He decided to stick to his reentry plan and stay free. Part of his plan included his education and substance use/mental health treatment. Once he secured these three components of reentry and restoration in his life, he started a whole new chapter of a life in recovery and service to his community. He is a graduate of a chemical dependency certification program from Cal State East Bay and is very close to earning his Bachelor’s Degree. He is an Associate Director for a substance use youth outpatient program. His freedom, sanity, and self-worth are all important to his transformed life.

He advocates for the perspective that rehabilitation, reform, and transformation are all possible and society would be better if we gave the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated a second chance because his life is an example that anyone can transform.

Please subscribe to The Prison Post and you'll receive a weekly notification when a new show is released. #ThePrisonPost #CROPOrganization #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLivesandHealCommunities #ReimaginingReentry #ThePrisonPostPodcast #Keys2Life

The Prison Post #26 Michael Stone, Freed Three Striker & Talented Artist

CROP Organization — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 18:45:00 -0700

Jason and I had a great podcasting conversation with our good friend Michael Stone. We were incarcerated together for over a decade. Michael was released just a few months ago after serving over 20 years on a 25 to Life sentence as a 3 striker. Growing up he was a star athlete with opportunities to play professional baseball. He is a tremendously talented artiste who signed a rap contract with the son of the famous Quincy Jones. He is a brilliant artist who also draws, paints, tattoos, and is a deeply contemplative and introspective poet. He had a learning disability growing up and was super proud when he earned his GED. He was never able to deliver his poem at his graduation, but he generously decided to share that piece of his poetry in this episode.

We played softball and basketball with Michael. We watched him thrive as one of the creators of "Louder than these Bars" a group of slam poetry artists! Before paroling he joined CROP Organization on the inside for a program we co-created called, "Coaching for Life." Coaching for life invites coaches to leave the toxic male way of coaching in the past while teaching that players should love one another, be people of character, and live for causes outside of the sport that are bigger than themselves. We had our first Coaching for Life event out which featured world champion athletes from the Giants, Dodgers, Seahawks, and Patriots. Michael joined us and delivered a phenomenal piece of poetry sharing his personal transformation from toxic masculinity to healthy manhood.

Michael was willing to be vulnerable in this episode. We are grateful for his willingness to share his transformational story in such an honest way. You can reach out to him about his various forms of art on Instagram @528stoneyboyart and on Facebook @https://www.facebook.com/mike.stizzy.7

The Prison Post #25 Johnny Howe, CROP Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Transformational Coach

CROP Organization — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Johnny is one of the most inspiring and transformed people we have had the pleasure of being friends with for over a decade. He graduated from CROP Organization's Alcohol and Drug Counseling Programs while incarcerated, served others more than anyone we knew in there, and strived daily to transform the culture of prison. Johnny was born in Hawthorne California, raised by a single mom, sought validation and acceptance outside of the home, and joined a gang at an early age. He was sentenced to life as a teenager and served 28 years in the California prison system. His powerful and moving transformational story is documented in our book, "Men Built for Others." He believes that every person has value and the ability to transform. His work as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor in Los Angeles centers on helping people realize that another future is possible for them.

Today, Johnny empowers people to get sober, change their lives, and helps other formerly incarcerated people reenter society successfully. He serves at the non-profit, "Getting Out by Going In" (GOGI) which offers valuable life-skills to the incarcerated. There he spends time several days a week writing letters to men and women who are still incarcerated and in need of restoration. He is happily married to his wife Cynthia, and she joined in service with Johnny at GOGI. Together they written hundreds and maybe thousands of letters to the incarcerated and have also gone back into the prison system to offer hope and GOGI books. He is the epitome of a man of character, service, and love. Please watch and subscribe to The Prison Post or on any of the major podcasting platforms where you listen to your favorite podcasts. Please consider donating to our work of reimagining reentry at http://croporganization.org/

The Prison Post #24 Katherin Hervey, Artist and Filmmaker of "The Prison Within" documentary

CROP Organization — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Our guest on our show today is a world changer! On The Prison Post #24 we discuss a host of topics around restorative justice with Katherin Hervey! Katherin is an artist and filmmaker whose work focuses on those of us who live in the margins but refuse to be marginalized. She is interested in what is hiding in the dark crevices and corners of the American landscape and our collective psyches, believing truth is often found in the dark before it shines in the light.

Katherin was the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of "Shades of Contradiction", a nationally distributed arts and culture magazine dedicated to critical thinking and creative action. She has produced, directed and art-directed short documentary and narrative films, including "The Cocktail Waitress" for KCTS/PBS broadcast. THE PRISON WITHIN, her award-winning first feature film, sprung from her work as a Los Angeles Public Defender and volunteer prison college instructor, where she worked weekly with men who had committed serious acts of violence and had been sentenced to die in prison. Unredeemable in the eyes of the law, she saw the exact opposite and sought to create a film that captured the complexity of the people locked behind bars, in stark contrast to the dominant black and white depiction of victims, prisoners, and those we label as "criminals". Katherin is currently at work on a new film.

Katherin received her Bachelor's degree in Cross-cultural Communication in America from the University of Washington and is a graduate of Vancouver Film School. She also holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School. Her mixed media artworks and creative fiction have been exhibited in galleries and published in online and print literary journals.

The notion that the prison system is broken is nothing new. What’s far more interesting is how to fix it—which is the focus of her award-winning documentary The Prison Within. Directed by Katherin Hervey, the documentary takes viewers inside a unique program at San Quentin Prison focused on restorative justice and transforming the prison system.

During meetings of the San Quentin Victim Offender Education Group (VOEG), the incarcerated and survivors come together in a restorative justice program that encourages the incarcerated to see how the trauma they’ve experienced contributed to their criminality and helps them understand the impact of their crimes on those they victimized.

I would like to invite you to watch The Prison Within, which can be found here: https://vimeo.com/355387389 Katherin Hervey, speaks nationally on prison reform, restorative justice, and the ideas central to the film – hurt people hurt people, intergenerational trauma, unpacking trauma as the path to personal and collective healing, and more. #CROPOrganization #ThePrisonPostPodcast #RestoringLivesandHealingCommunities

Please follow us, download our show, leave us a comment, and subscribe to The Prison Post for our exciting upcoming episodes.

The Prison Post Podcast #23 Jason Bryant, CROP Organization Director of Restorative Programs

CROP Organization — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0700

This week's episode of The Prison Post Podcast features my colleague Jason Bryant. Jason's 26 years to life sentence was commuted by Governor Gavin Newsom a little over a year ago. On April 2, 2020, Jason was set free and a few days later his co-defendant, CROP's Executive Director, Ted Gray was freed as well. Our journey and friendship on the inside was about to begin out here in society after over 20 years of incarceration.

In this episode, Jason and I go down memory lane and share more details about his incarceration story, personal transformation, and CROP Organization's beginnings. We wanted our audience to have a fuller understanding of how our team came together, began to be of service on the inside to add value to our community, and continues to this day. Learn more about CROP Organization's Directors at http://croporganization.org/

As a Business Administration Graduate of Adams State University with a Master of Arts in philosophy from California State University Dominguez Hills and a Master of Science in psychology from California Coast University, Jason brings 20 years of lived experience within the CDCR. He primarily dedicated his term of incarceration to higher education and serving other people through thoughtful conversations about new possibilities for their lives.

Jason, a co-founder of the Inside Solutions think tank, collaborated with the CROP Organization in the development of several prominent programs. He is a state-certified Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) counselor who received senatorial recognition for his contributions to program development. Additionally, Jason wrote a Master’s degree thesis on the existential value of incarcerated people choosing to live responsibly (i.e., in alignment with their commitment to reunite with family) along with the importance of offering restorative programs within correctional institutions.

Jason’s sentence was commuted by the governor of California, who ordered his immediate release due to his remarkable contributions in restorative work while incarcerated. Jason is also a very happy husband, and proud father of two boys under the age of 3!

The Prison Post #22 Phil Melendez, Director of Organizing at Re:Store Justice

CROP Organization — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Welcome to the Prison Post! I’m excited about our guest for today's show. He actually had Jason and I on his Facebook Live show (The Parole Show) a few months ago. I first met Phil 12 days after I was released and again 90 days after I was released at the California State Capitol. We were fighting for various pieces of criminal justice reform legislation. I thought Phil was either an Assembly Member or a Senator. I didn’t know He was a formerly incarcerated lifer or on the forefront of criminal justice policy reform. Philip Melendez is the Director of Organizing for Re:Store Justice. Phil’s work revolves around community organizing, coalition building, and advocacy. Phil returned home in September of 2017, after serving a life sentence. While he was incarcerated, he facilitated many self-help and restorative programs, mentored neglected and traumatized youth, and organized numerous events linking community members with incarcerated people at San Quentin. He also worked closely with Re:Store Justice on numerous events and initiatives while he was incarcerated. CROP Organization and Re:Store Justice are both working hard in the reentry space for returning community members to excel and succeed. Learn more about CROP Organization's work at https://www.croporganization.org/ Learn more about Re:Store Justice at https://restorecal.org/author/adnan/

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #16 Charles Carpenter

CROP Organization — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0700

This week's bonus episode of incarceration stories features one of the most traumatic childhood narratives we've heard to date. Charles Carpenter grew up in the early era of gang violence in Los Angeles. He shared his story of becoming a gang member, going to juvenile hall, the California Youth Authority and a life sentence in prison to his transformation and becoming the author of four books. Please listen to Charles' raw and painful story.

Charles was born in Los Angeles in 1969, he was raised in both L.A. and Pomona, California. Charles was arrested at 32 years old for first degree murder and was sentenced to 37 years to life. Charles’ earliest release date is in 2029 under the Elderly Parole Program. He has written several books including his autobiography, titled, “Handcuffed,” telling his story about how he got to where he is today.

Charles’ early years were filled with trauma and abuse. He remembers his dad hitting his mom when he was just a small child. Him and his mom tried getting away from his father when he was young, they moved from city to city, and eventually ended up in Pomona. It was there he would get involved with the Crips. This was during an especially violent time in gang culture.

Charles was 9 years old when he first started hanging out with the older gang members. He looked up to them as role models, because he was missing a male presence in his life. The gang world is a backwards world, they treated anyone who did well in school as chumps, and squares. He learned from his father to have a negative view of authority figures.

When Charles was 12 years old, just entering the 7th grade, he and his brother were walking home from school and were getting tired of walking. Charles had a box cutter in his pocket and while another kid was riding by on his bike, they robbed him and took his bike. It turned out the person he robbed was a classmate of his and he got arrested when he went to school.

He went to juvenile hall, where murderers and gang members were held with him, this was his first taste of being in the system. In the gang culture, going to juvenile hall was basically your way of working up the ranks. It was your way of getting respect from the people that you look up to. While getting moved around to different juvenile facilities, he was placed in a community program. At one of these community programs, his counselor was not going to allow him to go home for the weekend, so Charles grabbed a broomstick from the closet, and hit him in the eye with it.

He got arrested on the spot, adding assault to his charges. They ordered he spend 36 weeks at a long term camp. On June 3, 1983, at age 13, Charles got transferred to Camp Scott. “Military Operation” is used to describe Camp Scott. It's a tough place that is designed to teach you discipline and the value of an education. One of the counselors had a big impact on Charles as a kid, Mr. Washington was a tough, former gang member that wanted the kids to succeed. He inspired Charles to learn something new everyday.

John H. Johnson, the founder of Ebony Magazine's success story inspired Charles to learn more about him and the importance of an education. Mr. Hill was another counselor that had an impact on Charles during his time at Camp Scott. He would often give the kids speeches after lunch. In one of his speeches, he brought up some statistics about how many would go home, versus how many would end up in prison or dead. That resonated with Charles, and everything Mr. Hill said that day came true.

Charles then went to the California Youth Authority (CYA), if someone underage gets charged with a horrible crime they get sentenced to the California Youth Authority until they turn 25. Charles was housed at Fred C. Nelles, in Wittier, California. In Charles' words, this place was ‘gladiator school’. If you went through Fred C. Nelles, you learned how to fight. It was a daily requirement there. This only helped to further Charles’ violence mindset.

In 1997, Charles and Queenya got married, Charles still had an abusive mindset from growing up in the environments he did. He got arrested for domestic violence in 1997, and in 2000. There was a warrant out for his arrest during the second domestic violence charge which landed him in prison. While he was in prison during this time, his wife cheated on him with another member of his gang, and gave birth while Charles was in prison. He held onto this resentment and wouldn’t let it go.

In 2002, Charles was released from prison. His wife was there to pick him up from prison, by the time they got back home she had asked Charles to go with her to pick up some cocaine. While they were selling cocaine together, Charles’ rage, his violent mindset and his resentment culminated in an act of violence. In 2002, Charles murdered Queenya.

In 2003, he went to the hole for fighting and received a Rules Violation Report (RVR) in 2015 for having a cellphone, but has largely stayed out of trouble since being in prison. He started his journey to change suddenly one night when he decided to get rid of that part of his life and change. He started studying the Bible and learning about empathy and how to have an empathetic life. He began to refuse to be called by his gang nickname ‘Dillinger’, and was soon picked on and tested about his loyalty to the gang. Charles took a stand for his new changes and didn’t participate.

He started realizing how much pain he caused the parents and the family of his wife, as well as the pain he caused his mom, family members and community. Charles joined several groups that helped spread the Word and ideas of the bible. Charles tried writing letters to the victim’s family but they told the prison to stop sending the letters. He recently wrote a letter of remorse and sent it to the governor for approval.

Charles has written 5 books since being in prison: his autobiography, “Handcuffed” telling his entire story, a book about the hostile and divided prison environment - “Colors of Oppression”, a book about the steps he took to get away from the gang culture - “Contradictions: The Unveiling of the Mask”, a book about going through turmoil and coming out of the other side better for it - “The Making of a Diamond”, and a book about how people in powerful positions help to separate the class system - “The Anatomy of Urban Genocide”.

Follow us on all of the major podcasts and subscribe to The Prison Post on Youtube. Watch all of our podcast episodes on our website at croporganization.org

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #15 Sam Lewis, 15 Years to Life to Executive Director of Anti-Recidivism Coalition

CROP Organization — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Sam Lewis grew up in the 80’s in South Central Los Angeles, at a time when gang culture was at an all time high around that area. Sam was convicted of first degree murder at the age of 18 and was sentenced to 15 years to life. Sam was denied parole 8 times throughout his time in prison and eventually was released in 2012.

Growing up he recalls having his father around until he was 7 years old, at which time, he left him and his mom. Sam remembers his dad beating his mother and it impressed on him a belief that that was how one dealt with anger and fear.

His role models growing up were all in gangs, that was the life he was living. He looked up to those who taught him how to rob, fight, and sell drugs. By the time he was a teenager, he was completely immersed in the gang lifestyle. He was shot several times, had his house shot at, and was committed to criminality. At the age of 18, he committed murder in the midst of a gang rivalry.

A month after he was incarcerated his daughter was born, she never knew him outside of prison. Sam didn’t decide to change right away, he had a few instances of violence inside of prison, and wasn’t thinking about how much this affected him and the people around him.

There was a moment after his 7th year of incarceration, his mom came to visit him and she brought his daughter. This was the first time his daughter had seen him behind the glass. She was worried about him and asked why he was there and what he did wrong? That was a big moment for Sam, realizing how much it affected his daughter and everyone else in his life. He decided to make a change for himself and the people he loved in his life.

The first time he went in front of the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) was 10 years. He knew he was putting half effort towards his freedom. They denied him the first time for 4 years. It wasn’t until about 2 years into that denial, that he started joining self help rehabilitative groups and worked to facilitate actions to de escalate violent situations.

He joined the “We Care” program in 2005. We Care brought young kids into Soledad and gave them a chance to tell their stories. He and other leaders in the program would explain to them how they could handle difficult life situations and taught them how not to make the same mistakes they had made. Sam found his calling here and he really enjoyed helping the youth figure out how to get out of or make the best of bad situations.

Sam was denied seven more times at the parole board. He finally was released from prison on January 12th, 2012. He was a little overwhelmed at first, but finally got to spend time with his daughter, his mom, and the rest of his family.

Sam cut ties with all of the gang members he was associated with and although it was a hard decision, it was one he needed to make. He was a “ranking” member at that point and other members saw it as disrespectful and he thought they might kill him because of it.

Sam started to spread the message that he was once the problem that tore the neighborhood down, but now would build his community up stronger than ever. He was speaking at an event and a long time local reverend, Chip Murray, had a conversation with Sam and told him to never stop telling his story, he found it incredibly powerful and valuable to the community.

After his release, Sam quickly started volunteering at an organization called Shields for Families, that helped 16 to 25 year olds get out of difficult situations in tough neighborhoods. Sam was doing such good work with them that his volunteer role quickly turned into an unpaid internship. Eventually, he met someone from the Friends Outside program for a paid internship. Sam couldn’t believe he could get paid for something that he loved to do.

Eventually, through some mutual friends, Sam was introduced to a movie producer by the name of Scott Budnick. Scott asked Sam to come work with him at the Anti Recidivism Coalition (ARC). Sam quickly rose through the ranks and eventually became the Executive Director where he serves today. ARC has done tremendous work with the currently and formerly incarcerated. Since Sam’s arrival, they were able to pass Proposition 9 which gives the ability for juveniles who were sentenced to life without parole to go in front of the judge and demonstrate that they are worthy of a second chance leading to helping 350 young people.

As ARC’s Executive Director, he also started the Second Chance Bootcamp, where ARC takes recently incarcerated people and teaches them how to live and work in society. When they graduate the bootcamp they are offered a union job. The Second Chance Bootcamp has helped hundreds of people.

Today, Sam continues to fight for criminal justice reform, and is doing everything in his power to help the youth in California to understand they don’t need to continue down the path they are on. He wants people to know that change starts within and helping the people in our communities has a snowball effect for transformation on a macro level. To learn more about the Anti Recidivism Coalition and Sam visit their website at https://antirecidivism.org/

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #14 Mannie Thomas III, Freedom Experience after a 32 Years to Life Sentence

CROP Organization — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 02:00:00 -0700

CROP Organization's Podcast, The Prison Post has been releasing a series of bonus episodes with the incarceration and freedom stories of the currently and formerly incarcerated. This episode features the story of Mannie Thomas' last day in prison after over 15 years of incarceration. He shares the deep emotions associated with leaving after so many years. Full of excitement, his wife picked him up at the gate and constantly wanted to know what he was thinking, but Mannie fought to put his first day out into words. Freedom was hard to grasp and he had the overwhelming feeling that he would need to adjust to an all new world. Mannie found it hard to believe that he was no longer going to be confined in a concrete box. His story is filled with laughter and tears and what it was like to surprise his relatives who thought they were just being invited over to his wife's house for a visit with Mannie's parents.

Mannie Thomas has been a Success Stories facilitator at CTF Soledad Prison since 2017. He holds 5 Associates Degrees in multiple disciplines. Manny was sentenced to 32 to Years to Life. He served a total of 15 1/2 years. Nearly two years ago he had his sentence commuted by Governor Brown and was subsequently found suitable for parole. Upon his release in October of 2019, he was hired as a Success Stories Coach and Growth Coordinator. He focuses on identifying and securing new sites to deliver the Success Stories Program. Mannie understands the power that comes with sharing “our stories” and has written and edited for online publications. He strongly believes in community collaboration which is why he works with Initiate Justice facilitating healing circles for men the second Monday of every month. It is Mannie’s strong belief that people can be given what they need in society to transform and not be subjected to isolation and trauma. He has dedicated his life to ensure that people have that opportunity and not commit the same harm that he did. Please listen to his profound story of hope. #CROPOrganization #ThePrisonPost #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLives Learn more about us at https://linktr.ee/CROPOrganization

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #13 Ruben Gurrola, College Student Sentenced to 15 Years to Life, Part 3

CROP Organization — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 02:00:00 -0700

This week’s episode of The Prison Post features part three of a three part series with Ruben Gurrola. Ruben was born in Bakersfield, California. He was born in 1988 and is currently 32 years old. Ruben was arrested at the age of 23, and sentenced to 15 years to life. His original parole hearing was set for February 2024, but because of Proposition 57 his new hearing is set for a few months from now in 2021.

Ruben is a first generation American, his parents came from Mexico in 1978. He has 2 older brothers who are both older, one by 9 years, the other by 7 years. From a young age Ruben remembers his family always getting along and being happy together. His parents have still been one constant in his life. They are still happily married. His dad worked as a bartender and did his best to support his family. His mom worked at a daycare that sometimes spilled into their house.

His family never had a lot of money, but they stuck together and made it through because of it. Ruben developed asthma at age 13, he felt that drew him closer to his mom. Because of his asthma Ruben couldn’t play any sports in school and that made him feel like an outsider and like someone who was different.

When Ruben was 10 years old, his older brother was 17, and he didn’t get to hang out with his brother’s friends. That was another reason he felt like he couldn’t make any friends. He started going to his cousins house fairly frequently which was only a 5-7 minute drive. He started hanging out with his cousin more and more. When they got to Jr. high school, his cousin had made some friends and now Ruben had some people to hang out with. His cousin’s friends liked to drink and smoke outside of school. Ruben started drinking on the weekends and on holidays when he was with his cousin.

He remembers being 15-16 years old when he started driving with his friends and going to parties and drinking with his friends. He started getting into cars and making them faster. He and his friends started driving around looking for street races in the neighborhood. The cops came to a few of the street races he was involved in, but he never got caught.

While in high school, Ruben found a girl in his school, Lynn, that he really liked, she was smarter and funnier than he was. She was hospitalized during their junior year with a rare disease. Over the course of the next few months, it was progressively getting worse, after going into a coma, the doctors were still not able to diagnose exactly what was wrong. Ruben started drinking with his friends to cope with her being in the hospital. He began questioning religion and told himself that he didn’t deserve happiness.

Later that year, while Lynn was undergoing surgery, she died in the hospital. Ruben was devastated, he started drinking even more and even thought about committing suicide. His drinking progressed and during his senior year he began skipping class to drink. He keeps telling himself that he can handle the pain, that he can handle every situation.

Entering college Ruben joined a fraternity that his brothers were a part of, he wants people to think that he is happy and outgoing so he put on this appearance. He starts doing poorly in his classes, mostly going out to drink, smoke weed and party. He was eventually kicked out of the fraternity because of his failing grades. Ruben began selling drugs from his apartment and started to experiment with harder drugs like mushrooms and ecstasy.

He lost 60 pounds in 2 months while in college and his parents start to become worried and want him to come home. He took less classes the next year so he could pick up his grades. He meets another girl and they start dating. Ruben is now interning at an aerospace company working on becoming an engineer. He was drinking and smoking weed every single day and driving to work and class.

While dating, Ruben gets his girlfriend pregnant. He couldn’t picture having a kid at first, but then started to come around to the idea that he might be a father. He quit drinking and doing drugs cold turkey in order to get ready for his kid. When Ruben visits his girlfriend at her hometown he learns that her parents made her get an abortion, this crushes Ruben and he goes back to drinking and drugs daily again.

One night Ruben, his girlfriend, and their friends decided they want to go out to the club. While in the club, he and his girlfriend start arguing and Ruben wanted to leave. They took a taxi back to his friend's apartment because that’s where he left his car. They argue for a little longer at the apartment, and he decided to drive home. On the way home, blacked out drunk, Ruben drove on the opposite side of the freeway and crashed into another car head on. Trying to get out of the car to help his girlfriend he realized that he broke both of his legs and that she was dead.

Ruben was arrested and placed in the county jail. He was completely new to this whole environment. He remembers the guard asking what race he was and what crew he ran with. Ruben didn’t know what that had to do with anything. He was in the county jail for 3 years fighting a life sentence he didn’t believe he deserved. He was eventually sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

In prison, he thought he would lay low and not become affiliated with anyone while he was there. There was an instance in the dayroom when two groups started fighting each other and Ruben sat off to the side of the fight, thinking that it would satisfy the guards because he didn’t actually participate. He was still written up for being there and was beat up by gang members because he didn’t participate.

Soon after, he got thrown into a cell with a Christian. Ruben would try to prove him wrong whenever they would talk about religion. He couldn’t accept that this man could be smarter than he was. The Christian could see right through Ruben and helped him realize that he had been making self destructive choices his entire life.

He committed himself to a life of sobriety and stopped affiliating himself with other gang members in prison. He started making his own choices and devoted his time to improving himself. He resumed taking college courses and received his Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration last year.

He now leads and facilitates several restorative programs and helps other people not make the same mistakes that he made in his life. He attends alcoholics anonymous and helps others who struggle with alcoholism. Ruben is now working on his Master’s Degree in Business and is preparing for his parole hearing later this year. There are many like Ruben in prison who don’t come from gang backgrounds, but are given life sentences for DUI related murder. Today, Ruben has been sober for the last 10 years and is one of the most transformed men we’ve ever encountered. This is his story. Learn more about CROP Organization at https://linktr.ee/CROPOrganization

The Prison Post #21 Leadership & DEI with Christina Lee, CEO & Co-Founder of Paradigm 360

CROP Organization — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 02:00:00 -0700

CROP Organization's Podcast, The Prison Post, is kicking off a new series covering the spaces CROP Organization is working in to reimagine reentry: Leadership, Workforce Development, Tech Equity, Housing, Fair Chance Talent and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). We will be having conversations with leaders in these various spaces who will share their stories as well as how their organization and ours is adding value to people.

Our first guest in this series is our friend, Christina Lee. Christina Lee is a native of Oakland California, currently she resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and five children. Christina served as a District Director for Junior Achievement of the Bay Area in San Francisco, CA. She was directly responsible for assisting the company in its 3.5 million dollar fundraising goal each year through corporate and individual giving, she managed a District Advisory Board of C- level executives and was directly responsible for full operation of school to career programs for 42,000 students in the Oakland Unified School district. These efforts allowed her to obtain a wealth of knowledge in the area of non-profit and business management. She later left Corporate America and developed, Nehemiah Training and Consulting, a company that specializes in leadership and development training in the corporate and nonprofit arena. In addition to her duties at Nehemiah Training she also serves as Director of training and facilitation at New Beginnings Church, President and co- founder of Paradigm 360o coach training LLC and holds the position of Chaplain for the mother’s of NFL players through the Professional Football Players Mothers Association. Lastly, Christina is a highly sought after motivational speaker, corporate and non- profit trainer, certified executive leadership coach and coach trainer who has made many radio and television appearances and is passionate about helping people discover and fulfill their goals and dreams.

Learn more about Christina and Paradigm 360's at https://paradigm360consulting.com/ You can learn more about CROP Organization at https://croporganization.org/ where we are reimagining reentry by restoring lives and healing communities. #CreatingRestorativeOpportunitiesandPrograms #CROPOrganization #ThePrisonPos #ThePrisonPostPodcast #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLives #ProximateLeadership #TheFourPillarsofSuccessfulReentry

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #12 Ruben Gurrola, College Student Sentenced to 15 Years to Life, Part 2

CROP Organization — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 02:00:00 -0700

This week’s episode of The Prison Post features part two of a three part series with Ruben Gurrola. Ruben was born in Bakersfield, California. He was born in 1988 and is currently 32 years old. Ruben was arrested at the age of 23, and sentenced to 15 years to life. His original parole hearing was set for February 2024, but because of Proposition 57 his new hearing is set for a few months from now in 2021.

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #11 Ruben Gurrola, College Student Sentenced to 15 Years to Life

CROP Organization — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 02:00:00 -0700

This week’s episode of The Prison Post features part one of a three part series with Ruben Gurrola. Ruben was born in Bakersfield, California. He was born in 1988 and is currently 32 years old. Ruben was arrested at the age of 23, and sentenced to 15 years to life. His original parole hearing was set for February 2024, but because of Proposition 57 his new hearing is set for a few months from now in 2021.

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #10 Jonathan Barber,

CROP Organization — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 11:30:00 -0700

Jonathan Barber was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. In 2003, Jonathan was the driver in a fatal DUI murder. He was arrested and sentenced to a 15 years to life sentence. In 2003, Jonathan had little remorse and was looking for ways to get out of the situation he put himself in. He was more angry at the system for putting him in prison, than himself for making the decisions he made.

In 2010, Jonathan started getting involved in self help rehabilitative groups. He experienced a long process of realizing the experiences he took from his victims and their family. He came to the decision that he needed to make changes in his life.

While incarcerated Jonathan received his Bachelor's Degree in Sociology, and his Master’s Degree in Humanities. He also graduated from CROP Organization’s Alcohol and Drug Counseling Program as a state certified alcohol and drug counselor (CADC-I).

Before being released he was given a three year denial at the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH), but was granted a switch from a level 2 to a level 1 custody level. He spent 8 years at the level 2 prison, so being transferred meant that he wouldn’t be able to spend anymore time with the people that he had grown so close to. Jonathan made sure to spend as much time with every person he had become friends with. After 18 months, he was able to go back before the BPH and this time he was found suitable for parole.

The morning of his release he went and had one last meal at the chow hall, came back to the building, packed his belongings and headed to Receiving and Release one last time.

His father was there to pick him up and they began the long journey home to L.A. He stopped at Subway for his first freedom meal. Jonathyn was happy to have some vegetables that were crunchy and bread that wasn’t stale. When they got home, he ended the day in a very normal way, he and his father relaxed and watched football together until they both went to bed.

When Jonathan was at his worst, he created and lived with a victim mentality. He didn’t want to see what happened as being his responsibility. He now realizes that the victim mentality is always the easy way out. Today, he sees that he needs to take daily responsibility for his actions and empower himself by owning his contribution to every situation in his life. He was released from prison in September of 2019. He is using the certification he earned through CROP Organization’s Alcohol and Drug Counseling Program and serves his community as a Clinical Case Manager in the AOD space. He also hopes to make a difference in the criminal justice reform movement and spends as much time as he can with his family. #CROPOrganization #CROP #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLives

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #9 Carlos Aceves, Reentering Society after 21 years

CROP Organization — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0700

On this week's bonus episode of The Prison Post I share a reentry conversation with Carlos Aceves. Carlos shares his reentry story in this podcast and reveals how he has been able to excel after over two decades of incarceration. If you have a loved who would like to know how to transform their lives, be of service, and transition through their reentry journey, listen to Carlos' story and be inspired.

Carlos was born on December 12, 1973 in East Los Angeles. In 1993, at the age of 19 he was arrested and sentenced to 29 years to life for murder. He served 21 years of that sentence and was one of the 2% of incarcerated people found suitable for parole at initial hearing at the Board of Prison Hearings. He was released in 2014 at the age of 40.

Carlos lives in San Diego, is a graduate of The Urban Ministry Institute, became a state certified dual diagnosis counselor, owns a sober living house, runs half marathons, and is ordained minister. He works at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition as a Life Coach.

When Carlos first committed his crime under the influence of methamphetamine and was in a state of psychosis. He was angry, arrogant, and prideful when he was sentenced. He was mad at the people around him, himself, and God for sending him to prison.

Carlos knew he wasn’t ready for freedom when he heard that his brother had been severely injured by someone who had hit him in the head with a bat. He was still incarcerated and filled with hate. Internally, he knew that if he was on the outside, he would have tried to deal with it himself. This led him coming to tearful prayers to God wherein he asked Him to take the hate from him. Carlos felt God take the hate from him and helped him get clear on his own redemption. He now had a new desire to start doing what was right for himself and the people around him.

While Carlos was in prison he cried out to God and shared that he didn’t want to live anymore. Carlos felt God telling him that He would redeem him and open the gates for Carlos and he would be coming back to this prison, but for different reasons.

While incarcerated he started taking philosophy classes and became a licensed ordained minister. Carlos is also a philosopher at heart with a big vision on how to make the world a better place. He first got interested in philosophy by talking with a close friend who could quote famous philosophers. He pursued a degree in philosophy and continues his studies til this day.

In 2009, he helped create several rehabilitative programs and helped his fellow incarcerated brothers process the issues they too needed internal work on. Today he uses those same skills and goes into prisons having transformative conversations about how they can transform their lives and prepare for freedom.

Carlos and his wife Hannah are happily married and recently had a son whom he named after the great second century Roman General, Marcus Aurelius Acevez.

Carlos shares his reentry story in this podcast and reveals how he has been able to excel after over two decades of incarceration. If you have a loved who would like to know how to transform their lives, be of service, and transition through their reentry journey, listen to Carlos' story and be inspired.

The Prison Post is Sponsored by the CROP Organization. The mission of the CROP Organization is to restore lives and heal communities by reimagining reentry. Learn more about us at croporganization.org

The Prison Post #20 Policy Hour Featuring Marlene Sanchez, Deputy Director of The Ella Baker Center

CROP Organization — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 06:00:00 -0700

This week's episode of The Prison Post Policy Hour with CROP Organization's Director of Business Development, Ken Oliver features Marlene Sanchez, Deputy Director of The Ella Baker Center. Marlene is a proud San Francisco Native, Chicana, movement leader, organizer, and a formerly incarcerated woman. Marlene came to community work at the age of 15 looking for employment and a way out of streets and the juvenile justice system. She was hired as a community health outreach worker, providing HIV/STD education and harm reduction supplies and love to hundreds of young women who lived and worked in the underground street economies of San Francisco. She has since stepped into leadership at the Young Women’s Freedom Center, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ), and recently served as the Interim Executive Director of Alliance for Girls, an organization she helped found. Marlene is a founding member of All of Us or None (AOUON); a movement building group working to restore the rights of – and fight against the discrimination of – incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. #CROPOrganization #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLives #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPolicyHour #TheFourPillarsofSuccessful Reentry #TheEllaBakerCenter

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #8 featuring Vincent Rivera, Sentenced to 96 Years to Life

CROP Organization — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 02:00:00 -0700

Vincent Rivera grew up in Sacramento, California to a family who loved him, in their midst of their own struggles to survive. He was on a winning state championship basketball team in high school. In 2013, Vincent was sentenced to 96 years to life at the age of 25. His original parole date was scheduled for 2109. However, a recent youth offender law called AB-1308 will afford him the opportunity to go before the parole board in 2030.

Vincent was very young when he experienced several robberies at his home. He felt powerless at the time and wanted to be able to help the situation. He made a decision at that point in his life that he would never be powerless again. Vincent saw his father deal with these types of situations in negative ways. His father used force and he started tying his masculinity to feelings of violence. He thought if he didn’t let anyone mess with him or his family people would respect him. He started getting in fights in elementary school and thought he was doing it for the right reasons. He started to get away from that lifestyle in high school and started focusing more on sports. Vincent poured himself into sports and made new efforts with his academics because he wanted to stay eligible to play on the team. However, he was leading a double life when he was at home and his teammates had no idea the life he was leading a whole different type of life off the court.

Vincent’s family had to move to a different neighborhood where was exposed to drug dealing. Eventually, he began to deal as well. He was 17 when he got his first gun. In his way of thinking at the time, life was about survival. His friends started selling weed with him and he got one of his friends a gun. He saw this as a survival tactic. His close friend was robbed while dealing and he wasn’t going to let that go without retaliation. He knew what car they drove and scoured the neighborhood trying to find the people who had robbed his friend. He thought he had identified them and shot up the wrong vehicle, but eventually he found the person who had robbed his friend and he shot and killed him.

After serving six months in prison, Vincent had an inspirational conversation about his values and he began to challenge his belief system from the past. He started questioning what he truly valued and contemplated if he had really valued his family and friends. He began to take an insightful look into his thinking and behavior and how it led him to a life sentence in prison. That spark was just what he needed to start seeing things in a different light. This meaningful conversation and others that followed led to Vincent changing his behavior and authentic values became clear.

He enrolled in college while in prison and graduated with his Associates of Arts degree with a 3.9 GPA. Today, Vincent is preparing for his parole hearing in 9 years by giving back to his community and investing in the people around him. He has a better outlook on life and is excited about his life in the future. Vincent is one of the most transformed persons that I ever met during my 21 years of incarceration. He was a part of the Lisa Ling’s “Prison to Prep School” season premiere from her show “This Is Life.” Vincent is involved in many transformative groups today and lives his life working hard to help others transform their lives and leave past negative thinking and behavior patterns that led many men to prison. He is a mentor and role model for many and is a dear from of the CROP Organization. His last cell mate, James Willock, was released after serving 29 years of incarceration and was interviewed on our show. James and others from CROP keep in touch with Vincent and we look forward to the day when he brings transformation to the world out here. #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #CROPOrganization #WorkingTogetherToRestore Lives #TransformationalLeadership

The Prison Post #19 Justin Chung, 82 Years to Life Commuted

CROP Organization — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 02:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post. Our episode today features Justin Chung. Justin's parents brought him to America from South Korea at the age of two. He was incarcerated at the age of 16 and sentenced to 82 years to life. He transformed his life on the inside and filed for a commutation under the tenure of Governor Jerry Brown. He was commuted during his 13th year of incarceration. Justin was found suitable for parole and after experiencing some highs and lows on the way to his freedom, he was told that he would be set free in two days. Unfortunately, he was picked up by ICE and detained in a federal facility. After a mass covid outbreak and deaths in this facility, a judge allowed those who could afford to pay bail to bail out. Justin was bailed out, placed on an ankle monitor, and allowed to live with his Mom. He is petitioning Governor Newsom through a letter writing campaign and requesting an opportunity to stay in the only country he has ever known. He is facing deportation and if he has to go back to South Korea he will have to join the military for two years. His Mom would move back with him, but she would not be allowed to work because of laws that prohibit women working beyond a certain age. He is volunteering and serving in ministry in his church and doing all that he can to live as a productive citizen. He is worthy of staying in this country and is committed to using his time, talents, and efforts to make a difference here in the lives of the youth and those in the Asian community. He is collecting letters of support to present to the Governor. If you would like to send him a letter of support you can reach out to him at 1221yongjoo@gmail.com. If you would like to hear Justin's full life story, told while he was still incarcerated, please subscribe to the Prison Post and you can find his story on all major podcasting platforms including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon podcasts, Stitcher and many more. #The Prison Post #ThePrisonPostPodcast #CROPOrganization #CROP #WorkingTogetherToRestoreLives #LetJustinChungStay

The Prison Post #18 Dr. Jeffrey Ian Ross, Co-Founder of Convict Criminology

CROP Organization — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post. This week we have a conversation with Jeffrey Ian Ross, Ph.D. He is a Professor in the School of Criminal Justice, College of Public Affairs, and a Research Fellow of the Center for International and Comparative Law, and the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore. Ross has been a Visiting Professor, at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany, and University of Padua, Italy.

He has researched, written, and lectured primarily on corrections, policing, political crime, state crime, crimes of the powerful, violence, street culture, and crime and justice in American and Indian communities for over two decades. Ross’ work has appeared in many academic journals and books, as well as popular media.

He is the Co-founder of Convict Criminology. Convict Criminology was the early inspiration for CROP Organization's Alcohol and Drug Counseling Program that we built while our team was still incarcerated. Dr. Ross is also the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of several books including seven on correctional facilities, prisoners and ex convicts (i.e., Behind Bars: Surviving Prison, Convict Criminology, Special Problems in Corrections; Beyond Bars: Rejoining Society After Prison, The Globalization of Supermax Prisons, Key Issues in Corrections, and Convict Criminology for the Future).

Ross is a respected subject matter expert for local, regional, national and international news media. He has made live appearances on CNN, CNBC, and Fox News Network. Additionally Ross has written op-eds for The (Baltimore) Sun, The (Maryland) Daily Record, The Gazette (weekly community newspapers serving Maryland's Montgomery, Frederick, Prince Georges and Carroll counties), the Baltimore Examiner, and the Tampa Tribune.

Ross has performed consulting services for the Maryland Department of Probation and Parole. In 2005-2006, Ross was a member of the Prisoner Advocate Liaison Group, for the Institute of Medicine (part of the National Academy of Sciences).

From 1995–1998, Ross was a Social Science Analyst with the National Institute of Justice, a Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2003, he was awarded the University of Baltimore’s Distinguished Chair in Research Award. In April 2018, Ross was given the Hans W. Mattick Award, “for an individual who has made a distinguished contribution to the field of Criminology & Criminal Justice practice,” from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2020, he received the John Howard Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences’ Division of Corrections. The award is the ACJS Corrections Section’s most prestigious award, and was given because of his “outstanding research and service to the field of corrections.” During the early 1980s, Jeff worked almost four years in a correctional institution. You can find his work and reach out to him at https://jeffreyianross.com/. #CROPOrganization #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #WorkingTogetherToRestoreLives #FiveFormerlyIncarceratedDirectors #TheFourPillarsOfSuccessfulReentry #ConvictCriminology

The Prison Post #17 The Policy Hour with Ken Oliver featuring Esteban Nuñez, ARC

CROP Organization — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome the the Prison Post Policy Hour with CROP Organization's Director of Business Development Ken Oliver. In this third episode of the policy hour, Ken Oliver interviews Esteban Nuñez. Esteban was first introduced to civic engagement and activism at an early age as the son of a local activist and union organizer. Esteban served six years of confinement in California, yet used this time to think deeply, explore his past, and pursue a direction of greater purpose with his life. Having thought long and hard about the ways in which his actions had impacted others, Esteban committed his life and work to change the misconceptions and negative stigmas associated with criminality. Today Esteban Nuñez is Director of State Advocacy for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. The purpose of this interview was to inquire of Esteban about the landscape of California's Criminal Justice Reform policies. Recapping the wins and losses of 2020 and discussing the horizon for criminal justice reform in 2021. Please listen closely to his story about his experience of incarceration, his personal transformation, and the impact he is making today.

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #7 Featuring Justin Chung, Part 1 Sentenced to 82 Years to Life as a Teenager

CROP Organization — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Justin Chung

Shame and Regret

Justin was born in Seoul, South Korea on December 21st 1989, he was sentenced to 82 years to life at the age of 18. Because of a recent Senate bill called “Senate Bill 261”, Justin will be able to go in front of the parole board after 25 years of being in prison. Justin was granted a commutation from California Governor Jerry Brown, which would have allowed him to go in front of the parole board in 2019, although something happened that would send him on a different path.

Justin grew up an only child, in a somewhat normal household in southern California. Both of his parents were working a lot, his mom had three jobs, his dad was trying to start his own business. He was a latchkey kid and didn’t have very many friends at school, so Justin felt alone most of the time. He felt his parents weren’t as supportive as they could’ve been, retrospectively, Justin sees now that they were doing the best they could at the time, to create a better life for him.

In school, Justin was looking for any sort of connection, something to cling to and have a sense of belonging. So he started hanging out with what he saw as the popular kids, because they embraced him and started calling him “little cousin”. That’s exactly what Justin was looking for, a group of people to hang around and accept him as one of their own.

The group, although accepting of Justin, wasn’t a great influence on Justin’s young mind. They smoked and drank at lunch during school and would bare knuckle box each other for fun. For Justin this was just the sense of brotherhood and belonging that he felt like he was missing from home.

That feeling eventually drove him to join a gang. Where the cohesion was even stronger, he felt even more apart of a group because these guys were all in it with each other. While a member of this gang he would drive around and look for rival gang members, and a lot of the time that meeting would end in a fight. This was just the way of life for Justin, he thought this was just how you grew up and socialized in the world he was in.

At the age of 16 Justin was living a life that not a lot of teenagers around him were living, going out to bars, getting drunk, smoking marijuana, hooking up with different girls, etc. To Justin, at the time, it was a really good life. He was hanging around people that he saw as family and was having a good time while doing it.

Justin and the gang he joined were invited to a college party, the goal was to go and have a good time and get high. While they were at the party, one of Justin’s gang members told him that one of the rival gangs showed up at the party. Justin and his friends went out to the car, got their guns and told them to leave. The rival gang was smart enough to leave the party and drive away. For Justin, that wasn’t good enough, these were the enemies, Justin wanted to see them pay. So they hopped in the car and chased after them. Once they were on the freeway, they pulled up next to the car, rolled down their window and shot at them.

Once in court he realized how bad it actually was, the driver of the vehicle was shot in the chin, and the passenger was shot in the head, and died two days later. The driver showed up to court and had trouble speaking, he was slurring his words and couldn’t talk correctly. That hit Justin pretty hard, he knew he had messed his entire life up and theirs.

While the trial was happening Justin found out that the bond he had formed with his gang wasn’t as strong as he’d thought. One of the other members, and Justin's best friend testified against him. That’s when it really hit Justin, his entire relationship with the gang was conditional.

The day that Justin got convicted was the day that he swore off gangs, he swore off his life of violence, and he decided to convert to Christianity. While in prison, Justin did everything he could to not only learn more about the Christian faith, but to spread his story and any advice that he can give to someone that is in the same situation he was.

His parents didn’t believe that he was guilty, and didn’t understand why their son was in prison, they didn’t take it very well. After 10 years Justin had a conversation with his mother that he had committed the crime, and that he was guilty. During these conversations Justin started to notice that his father wasn’t feeling very well and was acting a little strange. While he was in prison he got a call from his mother and she told him that his father was diagnosed with cancer. In 2014 Justin’s father passed away from cancer.

In 2013 Senate bill 261 was passed which states that the male brain is not fully formed until the age of 25. Anyone convicted under the age of 25 has a chance to petition for commutation, which would allow Justin to go in front of the parole board. In 2018, Justin petitioned Governor Brown for a commutation and was allowed to go in front of the parole board. In May of 2019, Justin went in front of the parole board and was granted parole, he was going to be let out of prison.

During the time between Justin being granted his commutation, and going in front of the parole board, there was an election in California, in which a new governor was elected. 118 days after Justin was granted parole, the newly elected governor had now reversed his parole. Justin was devastated, but after a talk with his mother, he knew that if it could happen once, he could do it again...Justin is now studying the bible, getting deeper and deeper into his faith and his redemption. He appeared in front of the parole board again and is committed to his personal transformation. He wants to become a minister when he gets out, and help other people that are in the same situation that he was in. The video podcast with Justin will follow these episodes...#workingtogethertorestorelives #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #CROPOrganization

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #6 Featuring Justin Chung, Part 2 Sentenced to 82 Years to Life as a Teenager

CROP Organization — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Justin Chung

Shame and Regret

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #5 Featuring Justin Chung, Part 1 Sentenced to 82 Years to Life as a Teenager

CROP Organization — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Justin Chung

Shame and Regret

The Prison Post #16 Mannie Thomas & Hugo Gonzalez, Success Stories

CROP Organization — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Mannie Thomas and Hugo Gonzalez were both featured in the documentary “the feminst on Cell Block Y” when they were still incarcerated and leaders/facilitators of the Success Stories program. They were sentenced to over 100 years to life combined. Today's show is not only about their roles in Success Stories, but about hope. We’ve never had any two guests on the show sentenced to that amount of time. Let me introduce them formerly...Mannie Thomas is the Coach and Growth Coordinator for Success Stories. He was sentenced to 32 Years to Life as a youth. While in prison he earned 5 associate degrees in multiple disciplines. Nearly two years ago Governor Brown took note of his transformation and his hard work and commuted Mannie’s sentence to 14 Years to Life. Mannie was found suitable for parole and upon his release in October of 2019, he was hired as a Success Stories Coach and Growth Coordinator. Today he focuses on identifying and securing new sites to deliver the Success Stories Program.

Hugo Gonzalez is the Success Stories Alumni Coordinator and a Coach. After serving 18 and a half years in prison, his sentence was also commuted by Governor Jerry Brown. He was 16 years old when he was sentenced to 3 consecutive 25 Years to Life sentences in prison. Hugo is a phenomenal artist, advocate, and storyteller. Hugo goes to public forums, conferences, and schools to speak about Patriarchy, toxic masculinity, gang intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry. In a little over a month Hugo will be going to law school at Loyola Marymount University. We feature parts of their reentry stories and their work with Success Stories. #theprisonpost #theprisonpostpodcast #SuccessStories #workingtogethertorestorelives #CROPOrganization

The Prison Post #15 Lauren Bell, Fair Chance Development Manager at Checkr

CROP Organization — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post. We are going to begin a new segment on workforce development. CROP's Director of Business Development, Ken Oliver, welcomes our first guest, Lauren Bell, who is an expert in the workforce development space. Lauren is currently the Fair Chance Development Manager at Checkr. Checkr is a background check company who has been the industry leader in providing formerly incarcerated people with careers in the tech sector. Prior to joining Checkr, Lauren served as Director, Reentry Division for San Francisco's City and County Adult Probation Program. #CROPOrganization #theprisonpost #workforcedevelopment #thefourpillarsofsuccessfulreentry #workingtogethertorestorelives

The Prison Post #14 Zakiya Prince, Repeal California's Three Strikes Law Coalition

CROP Organization — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Zakiya is currently working with the Repeal California’s Three Strikes Law Coalition as the Campaign Lead to build a coalition of grassroots organizations, community stakeholders, and impacted people to repeal the Three Strikes law with a ballot initiative in 2022. Zakiya Prince is a graduate of California State University, Northridge and has worked as an educator and social worker for the last several years. She has been a fierce advocate for her husband, who was sentenced under California’s Three Strikes law, and for many others who are directly impacted by the carceral system. She has dedicated her life to disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline, fighting to end mass incarceration and empowering people who have been oppressed to fight for the freedoms they deserve.

The Prison Post #13 Richie Reseda, Co-Founder of Question Culture

CROP Organization — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 10:15:00 -0700

Richie Reseda is formerly incarcerated and is the cofounder of Initiate Justice, Success Stories, and Question Culture. He is our brother and our friend and so much more. Richie shares his personal transformational story from growing up in Los Angeles, to becoming a gang member and a drug dealer to being the leader and world changer that he is today. His transformational story is told in our book, "Men Built for Others." We discussed Success Stories which he cofounded while incarcerated, patriarchy, and growing up in the culture of America. We also discuss hot button issues like Rehabilitation vs. Prison Abolitionism, the meaning of justice, and his organization, "Question Culture." Please don't miss this episode and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us an any of the major podcasting platforms. #ThePrisonPost, #The PrisonPostPodcast #CROPOrganization #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLives, #QuestionCulture, @RichieReseda on Instagram to find his linktr.ee/richiereseda

The Prison Post #12 The Policy Hour with Ken Oliver featuring Michael Mendoza, ARC

CROP Organization — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post. Today our guest is Michael Mendoza who is the Director of National Advocacy at the Anti Recidivism Coalition. This dynamic conversation includes Michael's transformational story, his journey to where he is today as a formerly incarcerated leader at the forefront of criminal justice reform, and his relationship with ARC founder, Scott Budnick. Michael shares his perspectives on advocacy and various new laws on the ballot this year. Join this conversation and hear Michael's views on various ballot measures. #theprisonpost #theprisonpostpodcast #CROPOrganization #workingtogethertorestorelives #thepolicyhourwithkenoliver #criminaljusticereform #restorativejustice #AntiRecidivismCoalition

The Prison Post #11 DJ Vodicka, Author of The Green Wall

CROP Organization — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post. Our Guest this week is the largest whistleblower in the history of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. DJ wrote the book titled, “The Green Wall: The Story of a Brave Prison Guard's Fight Against Corruption Inside the United States' Largest Prison System.” He entered the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in 1987. For sixteen years, he was a prison guard in California's highest security prisons, He belonged to an elite unit called the Investigative Services Unit (ISU, a branch of Internal Affairs). He became the largest "whistle-blower" to uncover a group of prison guards who called themselves "The Green Wall" or "GW's" or "723's" a prison gang established by Correctional Officers. We reveal what can go wrong when only one person is willing to stand up and speak for what is right, against almost insurmountable odds. Vodicka's televised State Senate testimony exposed a scandal that led to resignations, transfers, sudden retirements, and reforms of the system that are still underway. His story is a classic tale of the triumph of personal integrity. #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #CROPOrganization #CROP #ThePrisonPostPodcastEpisodeEleven #WorkingTogetherToRestoreLives

The Prison Post #10 Christopher Gooden, Life Lessons After 16 years Incarcerated

CROP Organization — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 02:00:00 -0700

Cristopher Gooden was born in Oceanside, California on September 5th, 1987. He was sentenced to 15 years to life for second degree murder at the age of 16. He served 15 years of that sentence, and was denied the first time at the California Board of Prison Hearings, but was found suitable for parole and released after 18 years of incarceration at the age of 33.

Chris’ father was a marine and he looked up to him, he was an honorable man in Chris’ eyes. His mother was a stay at home mom, helping raise Chris and his sister. Life was pleasant until Chris was around the age of 8 or 9. His parents started going through a divorce.

His parents separated and his mom eventually moved out to live with her sister. Chris wanted to live with his mom, but was told that he had to stay with his dad. This was when Chris was around the age of 13 or 14, and his relationship with his father only grew worse. He would regularly beat Chris for doing anything wrong, and his rules were extremely strict. Chris recalls a day when he was trying to get his dress pants on for his Jehovah’s Witness meeting, and they wouldn’t fit. His dad came in and started trying to force them on him, Chris told his dad that he wasn’t going to the meeting. His dad told him if he wasn’t going then he didn’t have to live there anymore.

That’s all Chris wanted to hear, he didn’t want to live with him anyways. So he took the bus down to his mom’s apartment, thinking that she would be happy to see him and take him in. When he got there however, it was a different story, she said that she couldn’t have him live there because the apartment wasn’t big enough. Chris was devastated, so he went to his last resort, his cousins that lived nearby, who took him in. He knew his cousins were involved in gang activity, but he didn’t mind because they were the only ones that took him in.

At this time Chris was going to middle school, and he started to hang out with Oceanside Bloods. Chris enjoyed school and was pretty good at it, but when he started to hang out with his cousins and the gang more, he started to slack off in school and not put much effort towards his school work. He got in trouble for stealing a drug scale to sell to his homie, and started getting in fights in school. Because he had been in trouble so many times, he was warned by the principal that if he caught Chris wearing red in school that he would be expelled. The next day Chris came to school in all red clothing, which got him expelled.

Chris then goes to an alternative school, and starts doing well again. He gets approached by the high school football coach and tells Chris if he gets out of the alternative school, he’ll let him play for the team. He does pretty well and eventually gets into the high school. A few months into being enrolled in high school, he gets jumped by a rival gang, and got kicked out of school again.

He was still living with his cousins in their apartment, and one of his younger cousins, Jamal, would hung out with him. He wasn’t involved in the gang at all, he wouldn’t even drink or smoke, he just liked hanging out. Him and Chris were heading to the store, and Chris noticed some Mexican gang members that were not usually in this part of town. He didn’t think too much of it because sometimes they made a deal there, or were just passing through. On their way back to the apartment, the car sped up behind them and shot at Chris and Jamal. Chris managed to get away, but he looked back and Jamal was dead.

He channelled all his hate and his anger toward the Mexican gang. A few months later he went to a party with a few friends and there were Mexican gang members at the party. Chris knew it wasn’t going to end well, so he left with a few of his friends. While driving around they came across a Mexican to rob. While Chris was walking up to take his money, his hate took over and he shot him point blank. As they were driving away, the cops pulled them over and arrested Chris and his friend.

He got sent to county jail and awaited his trial. While on trial, after a few mishaps, he eventually accepted a deal for 15 years to life for second degree murder. Chris would be sent to juvenile hall until he was 18. While in juvenile hall he got his GED and graduated with his diploma. However he still had the a criminal, and decided he would be in prison for a while. When he got transferred to prison, he got sent to a level 4, which is the most dangerous level. While in this level 4 prison, he witnessed 2 people get murdered.

Eventually, Chris transformed his life and was found suitable for parole. He was released 2 months ago and plans on helping youth who are in a similar situation that he was in and explain to them that they can change before they end up in prison. Prison reform is a big part of Chris’s agenda now that he is free, and he was reunited with wife, sister, daughter, and his mom. He spent half of his young life in prison. This is his reentry story...#ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #TheFourPillarsofSuccessfulReentry #WorkingTogethertoResoreLives #CROPOrganization #CROP #ThePrisonPostTen https://croporganization.org/

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #4 featuring James Willock, Part 3 Serving Life in Prison

CROP Organization — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 02:00:00 -0700

For most of James’ early life, his father was in and out of prison. When James was around 8 years old, his father got out of prison, and he and his mother started doing drugs, stealing, went back to their old way of living.

He remembers waking up one night, hearing screaming coming from his parents room. As he got to the doorway he sees his father straddling his mother, blood all over her, she calms him down and says to go call his grandparents. James, not sure of what number to dial, remembers in school they told him to dial 0 when you’re in trouble. After talking with the operator and explaining what was going on, they don’t send his grandparents, they send the police. James will never forget the look of disappointment on his father's face as he was escorted out of the house in handcuffs.

In his early life James learned from his parents that you don’t accept a loss, and you don’t get other people into your business. You handle things yourself, and if you want to be a man, you don’t cry or show emotions.

When he was around 8 years old, James recalls an incident that sticks out to him, when he became aware that his parents were criminals and the things that they were teaching him. His father taught him how to steal, he lifted James’ shirt up, put a fake gun in his waistband, and went to rob a store.

James started living with his friends and coming home less and less. Eventually he found himself relating with the gang members of the community who were going through some of the same stuff that he was experiencing. It was at this time that James started gang banging in his neighborhood.

While attending a party in his neighborhood, James was approached by a few people that didn’t like him. They wanted him to leave the party, so they pulled out a gun and held it to his head. James, being a believer in not letting anyone else in his business, told him to do what he was going to do. Some people that knew James eventually intervened, and he left the party.

After leaving James got a ride to his car where he kept a gun at all times. He made his way back to the party, found the guys who pulled a gun on him, and shot, and killed him. James was shot in the leg and went to the hospital the next day. The day he went to the hospital was the day his mother got released from prison, she found out where he was and went to visit him. While he was getting treated, the police came and arrested him at the hospital. James was charged with first degree murder and sentenced to serve a life sentence in prison.

While in prison James started questioning his beliefs. He had a pivotal conversation, where he was able to question everything that he valued, and why he was in prison. He started to realize the mistakes that he’s made and the people that he’s harmed. He had several talks with another guy serving a life sentence and he explained that you are who you’re going to be whether you’re in prison or not.

James completely transform his life and became a mentor to at risk junior high school students, read books and poetry with high school students and coached college students on how to improve themselves and others around them. He has been focusing his efforts on the next generation, helping them overcome their situation and not make the same mistakes he did.

James is free now and was released from prison a little over two months ago. He is ready to give back to his community, to the people around him, and to the people who are in the same situations that he was in that lead him to a life of crime and being sentenced to serve a life sentence. Our interview with James reveals his perspectives of freedom, what it was like to come home after 28 years and the challenges of reentry. This is his story... https://croporganization.org/about/ #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #CROPOrganization #WorkingTogetherToRestoreLives

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #3 featuring James Willock, Part 2 Serving Life in Prison

CROP Organization — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 02:00:00 -0700

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #2 featuring James Willock Part 1 Serving Life in Prison

CROP Organization — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 02:00:00 -0700

The Prison Post #9 James Willock, Released After 28 Years Incarcerated

CROP Organization — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0700

#CROPOrganization #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLives #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #CROP #TheFourPillars of SuccessfulReentry #Richard Mireles #JasonBryant #JamesWillock https://croporganization.org/

The Prison Post #8 George Colon, SF Made Employer Development

CROP Organization — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 02:00:00 -0700

Our episode this week features George Colon. George Cologne is an expert in employer development. George spent 17 years working in Tech at various start-ups. Starting as a Customer Service Rep., he craved more experience and responsibility. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a lead, then a supervisor, performing quality assurance, writing phone/email scripts and training manuals, then eventually performing hiring & training duties, account managing, and business advising. Two and a half years ago, after much disenchantment with start-ups, George found his passion working for an Oakland nonprofit, assisting the Reentry population in connecting with meaningful employment opportunities. George’s position at SFMade continues his trajectory in both experience and passion. George has also ran a successful side business for 20+ years, selling collectibles of every sort online. Please listen, hit the like button, and leave us a comment in the comments section. #CROPOrganization #SFMade #George Colon #WorkingTogetherToRestoreLives #TheFourPillarsofSuccessfulReentry #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #ThePrisonPostPodcastEight @CROPOrganization @ThePrisonPost @ThePrisonPost1 https://croporganization.org/

The Prison Post Bonus Episode #1 featuring Reginald Glover, an incarcerated man serving life in prison

CROP Organization — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 23:00:00 -0700

Reginald Glover

Misguided Anger

Reginald Glover was born in San Francisco, and raised in both Oakland and San Francisco. He is the nephew of renowned actor, Danny Glover. Reginald was arrested at 18 years old, and sentenced to life in prison at 19. He grew up in a single parent home for most of his childhood, it was him and his mom against the world in the beginning. He has been in prison for 28 years serving a life sentence.

When he was 6 years old he remembers his mom selling cocaine as a side job. He first noticed when he was playing with his toys, and he grabbed a white substance as a prop. His mom's reaction to him grabbing that substance made him suspicious. After he knew something was going on, they were going for a walk to the store, and someone tried robbing his mom. Reginald, being a 6 year old, didn’t know exactly what to do, so he bit the back of the robbers leg. The thief threw Reginald off of him, but allowed his mom enough time to pull out her gun and shoot the man.

That instance taught Reginald that it was kill or be killed in his world. Early in his life, when Reginald, his brother, and his mom were visiting Reginald’s dad, he wouldn’t let him use the bathroom because there was a woman hiding in the bathroom. They left with his mom, went back that night and his mom shot up his house while in the car.

He had a brother that was 2 years older than him. He looked up to him highly and he was good in sports, so whenever his brother would get onto a sports team, they would have to let he play as well. He was who he looked up to most in the world.

When he was 14 his brother and mom had an argument, which resulted in her kicking him out of the house. He lived with his grandparents for a year, until he was murdered. He was 15 years old and devastated, his attitude changed after that, he started acting out a lot more. By 16 years old, Reginald was selling drugs on the street. He needed to help pay for things and that’s what his parents were doing for money.

At 16, he had one child on the way that he knew of, and another one that he didn’t. He started looking up to his soon to be co-defendant as his big brother figure, they were selling together, and started robbing houses for extra money. During one of their robberies, Reginald committed murder. The murder wasn’t about getting money, it was an opportunity to take something from someone.

Reginald was arrested at 18 years old, spent a year awaiting trial, and was sentenced to life in prison at the age of 19 in 1992. It didn’t really phase him when the judge said that he would be serving a life sentence. In the culture, the world he was living in, this was the norm. Either you went to prison, or you ended up dead. When he arrived at Pelican Bay prison at the age of 19, the first thing he asked for was a knife; he was still in a survival state of mind.

While in prison Reginald’s wife was visiting and helped him realize he didn’t even commit those crimes for himself. It was always for someone else. This made Reginald reevaluate a lot of his past decisions and future choices. At Reginald’s first parole hearing in 2014, the commissioner called him a coward, that didn’t sit well with Reginald at the time, but he sat and thought about what his wife and the commissioner said, he had a realization over time, that he was selfish.

During a victim's awareness workshop, a mother who as a victim of a violent crime, came to talk the workshop, by listening to her stories Reginald realized how much pain he has caused his mom and those he had harmed. He started joining other groups like Restorative Justice, Domestic Violence, Cornerstone, and many more. He has turned a corner, he has transformed his life and he now sees his poor choices and weaknesses and is growing from them.

Reginald’s next parole hearing is set for June 2021, but it may be moved up to a sooner date. He has plans to start a non-profit organization, helping to feed everyone who can’t afford to feed themselves. He also wants to talk to kids who are in similar situations to what he was in, tell them his story, and share how to avoid going down the path that changed the trajectory of his life forever. He wants to give back to his community, and help prevent the same fate that life that he met because of his choices.

CROP Organization's directors' served years with Reginald Glover and were able to witness his transformation. this is his story...This is his story.

The Prison Post Podcast #7 Adnan Khan, Re:Store Justice

CROP Organization — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 01:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post. Our guest on Episode #7 is Adnan Khan. Adnan is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Re:Store Justice which he co-founded while incarcerated. Adnan was sentenced to 25 years to life under the Felony/Murder rule at the age of 18. While in prison, he inspired, launched and worked on the Felony/Murder rule legislation, aka, (Senate Bill 1437) with his organization, Re:Store Justice. The bill passed and after serving 16 years, in January 2019, Adnan was the first person re-sentenced under the bill he helped create. During his incarceration, he created FIRSTWATCH, a media filmmaking project produced entirely by incarcerated men at San Quentin State Prison that still produces short films today. His sentence was also commuted by Governor Jerry Brown in December 2018 before he left office. #WorkingTogethertoRestoreLives #ReStoreJustice #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #CreatingRestorativeOpportunitiesandPrograms #ThePrisonPostPodcast @Akhan1437 @ThePrisonPost @CROPORganization @ThePrisonPost1

The Prison Post #6 Policy Hour with Ken Oliver featuring Shay Franco Clausen

CROP Organization — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post. This is our monthly Policy Edition hosted by CROP’s Director of Business Development, Ken Oliver. As a former Policy Director himself, Ken invites guests to discuss the landscape of policy and criminal justice. These thoughtful conversations provide insight into the direction in which our state is moving and what we can do to help end mass incarceration. These conversations will happen the first Wednesday of every month. Ken's first guest is Shay Franco Clausen. Shay has an amazing story from humble beginnings as a homeless youth who experienced unspeakable trauma. As a formerly incarcerated person she now uses her platform as an elected Santa Clara official to advocate for the disenfranchised who occupy the largest prison system int eh world. Shay is the Campaign Manager for Prop 17, a landmark ballot measure that will grant voting rights for those of us on parole. Subscribe to The Prison Post on YouTube and follow us on Spotify and hear more stories like hers. You can learn more about Shay and Prop 17 by going to www.yeson17.vote.

The Prison Post #5 Jim & Mia, Palma School, Exercises in Empathy

CROP Organization — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Episode #5 features two of the greatest people that I’ve ever known. They are a remarkable team and are truly changing the world one person at a time. Jim Micheletti and Mia Mirassou Direct Campus Ministry at Palma School, an all male college preparatory school in Salinas, California. Palma is an Edmund Rice Christian Brother School networked with schools across the globe. The mission at Palma is for "boys of promise to become men of character." A Catholic school, Palma challenges students to be the change they wish to see in the world. An Essential Element at Palma is for students to stand in solidarity with those marginalized by poverty and injustice. Jim and Mia lead immersion experiences with students to Mexico and Peru to build homes. Locally, Students load and deliver food and other goods to migrant farm workers in the Salinas Valley. Students visit the elderly with Alzheimer's and contribute-head, heart, and hands--in a long list of causes for peace and justice. For the last 9 years Palma has partnered with Soledad State Prison with their "Exercises and Empathy” program. In this program, Palma students and their "Brothers in Blue" (currently incarcerated) read literature, share their own transformational stories, and build a no excuses mindset. World renown journalist, Lisa Ling recently filmed a documentary on this unique partnership for her show "This is Life" which will air soon on CNN. Palma enjoys a productive relationship with the CROP Organization in the business of hope. #PalmaSchool #ExercisesInEmpathy #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #CROPOrganization #CROP #CreatingRestorativeOpportunitiesandPrograms #WorkingTogetherToRestoreLives #RestorativeJustice

The Prison Post #4 Taina Vargas Edmond, Initiate Justice

CROP Organization — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 02:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post, this week we welcome Taina Vargas -Edmond. She is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Initiate Justice. She founded Initiate Justice in September of 2016 with the intention of activating the political power of people directly impacted by mass incarceration. Prior to creating Initiate Justice, she worked in the organizing and policy advocacy field as the Statewide Advocacy Coordinator with Essie Justice Group, as a State Campaigner with the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, and a Field Representative for the California State Assembly. She is directly impacted by mass incarceration having a loved one serve over seven years in a CA state prison. Their mission is to end mass incarceration by activating the power of the people it directly impacts. They organize their members, both inside and outside of prisons, to advocate for their freedom and change criminal justice policy in California. They have more than 28,475 incarcerated members, 135 inside organizers, and hundreds more outside members and organizers throughout California. Initiate Justice is 100% led by people directly impacted by incarceration. Contact them at info@initiatejustice.org

The Prison Post #3 Jason Bryant & Ken Oliver, CROP Organization

CROP Organization — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 02:00:00 -0700

This week’s episode of The Prison Post features two of the CROP Organization’s Directors. My co-host Jason Bryant is CROP’s Director of Restorative Programs and our colleague Ken Oliver is the Director of Business Development. Both of these men were sentenced to life terms in prison over 20 years ago and now they are leading the way in CROP’s mission to restore lives and heal communities. During this conversation with Jason and Ken they will be sharing some of CROP’s vision and mission with housing and professional training programs for returning citizens. Guided by what they call “The Four Pillars of Successful Re-entry” CROP’s Directors are confident that they have identified the support and resources that returning citizens need to not only survive in the community, but to thrive as contributing citizens. #ThePrisonPost #ThePrisonPostPodcast #CROPOrganization #CROP #CreatingRestorativeOpportunitiesandPrograms #WorkingTogetherToRestoreLives #PrisonReform #RestorativeJustice #WorkforceDevelopment #Reentry

The Prison Post #2 Miguel Garcia, Anti-Recidivism Coalition

CROP Organization — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 02:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post. This is your podcast for conversations surrounding the need to reform prisons from the perspective of formerly incarcerated people, community members, and leaders of the restorative justice movement. The Prison Post will feature an episode every Wednesday with people who are in the fight to restore lives and heal communities. In this episode we’ll be talking with Miguel Garcia, the Policy Coordinator at the Anti Recidivism Coalition. Miguel is heavily involved in his community as a youth justice advocate, a passion that began after his incarceration in the juvenile system. He received his Bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from the University of California, Riverside and serves as a public policy fellow with Human Rights Watch. The Prison Post is a production of the CROP Organization. We’ll be sharing more stories from the world of prison reform and restorative justice, so please join us. You can listen to The Prison Post on all major podcasting platforms. See the video of this episode and subscribe to our videocast on YouTube at The Prison Post, like us on Facebook at The Prison Post and at Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs.

The Prison Post #1 Vanessa & David Sloane, Life Support Alliance

CROP Organization — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 02:00:00 -0700

Welcome to The Prison Post. This is your podcast for conversations surrounding the need to reform prisons from the perspectives of formerly incarcerated people, community members, and leaders in the restorative justice movement. The Prison Post will feature an episode every Wednesday with people who are in the fight to restore lives and heal communities.

This week we’ll be having a conversation with Vanessa and David Sloane. Vanessa Sloane is the Director and Cofounder of Life Support Alliance. She is a recognized veteran of more than 25 years in the prison reform movement. She’s also the editor of the California Lifer Newsletter and is married to David Sloane, a paroled lifer. David served over 23 years of a life sentence in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He brings a unique perspective to the challenges that people face after serving life sentences. While on parole himself, David was approved to return to several prisons as one of LSA’s program facilitators. Life Support Alliance’s workshops are for people with life-sentences who are working hard for their freedom.

Thank you for listening to The Prison Post, a production of the CROP Organization. We’ll be sharing more stories from the world of prison reform and restorative justice, so please join us. You can listen to The Prison Post on all major podcasting platforms. Subscribe to our video cast on YouTube and like us on Facebook at The Prison Post and at Creating Restorative Opportunities andPrograms.

The Prison Post Trailer

CROP Organization — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 00:30:00 -0700

This is your podcast for conversations surrounding the need to reform prisons from the perspective of community members and leaders from the restorative justice movement. Join us as we discuss issues like; why, in the land of the free, we suffer from the largest number of incarcerated people worldwide? And what does it take for a person whose been convicted of a crime to change their lives?

The Prison Post considers important issues like this every Wednesday, so subscribe now and don’t miss our thought-provoking conversations . . . Together we can find new ways to join in the fight of restoring lives.

The Prison Post is produced by the nonprofit CROP Organization as an expression of positively impacting the way we think about prison. So please like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram.